HOMECAREFEBRUARY 2021 - HOMECARE MAGAZINE
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HomeCare
FEBRUARY 2021
®
THE LEADING BUSINESS RESOURCE FOR HME & HOME HEALTH PROFESSIONALS HOMECAREMAG.COM
3 strategies for getting
the best out of your
business in 2021
HME
Is a call center right
for you?
IHC
Why digital
communities matter
+ SPOT &
STOP ELDER
ABUSE
Limitless.
Sure, you’re focused on maintaining a healthy bottom line, but your biggest
priority is always patient health. Now more than ever, that’s a tall order.
With the right technology to deliver the right products at the right time and in the right
way, your patients get a better experience and your business a better bottom line.
In fact, the outcomes are limitless.
Ready to move beyond your limits?
Visit us at www.brightree.com/limitless.
Check 103 on index.
Split Decisions?
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headboard and
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These images show the upholstery.
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Check 104 on index.
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
EDITORIAL
Editor
Dear HomeCare Readers, Hannah Wolfson | (205) 278-2825
hwolfson@cahabamedia.com
Managing Editor
Just before press time, Joseph R. Biden Jr. was Kristin Easterling | (205) 314-8267
keasterling@cahabamedia.com
sworn in as 46th president of the United States.
It’s a time of enormous change in Washington, CREATIVE SERVICES
including a shift in party power, and that could Art Director
Elizabeth Chick
affect the homecare industry in many ways.
Digital Project Manager
In the coming months, we’ll be keeping a close Greg Ragsdale
eye on the actions of lawmakers and regulators Web Developer
in order to keep you in the loop. Greg Caudle
Manager of Email Operations
In general, the best way to be prepared for
Brent Godwin
uncertainty is to have a plan. Our cover series
this month offers three different approaches PRODUCTION
to planning for your business from experts Print & Digital Advertising Traffic
Sonya Crocker | (205) 314-8276
in sales, small business administration and scrocker@cahabamedia.com
organizational transformation. You could pick
one focus or combine all of them to find a CIRCULATION
Audience Development Manager
strategy for success as we continue in the pandemic and hopefully emerge from it. Lori Masaoay | (205) 278-2840
One change we know is coming is that more people will be vaccinated against lmasaoay@cahabamedia.com
COVID-19 in the coming weeks. Many of you may have already gotten your shot (or shots)
ADVERTISING
as health care providers. Some may be encouraging your team to get on board. Others Associate Publisher
may be waiting because some locations have run into distribution snags. Still others may Jim Harmon | (205) 933-0333
jharmon@cahabamedia.com
be helping senior clients who are eligible for the vaccine but trying to navigate complex Administrative Assistant
online sign-up systems and shifting rules. Check out some updates we’ve gathered on Sonya Crocker | (205) 314-8276
scrocker@cahabamedia.com
page 6 that might be helpful.
Sales Development Representative
We’re discussing our travel calendar for 2021 and hoping to be able to see some of you Landen Franklin | (205) 278-2875
soon. Meanwhile, stay safe out there. lfranklin@cahabamedia.com
Thank you for reading,
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD
Cara Bachenheimer Sarah Hanna
Chair, Government Affairs Practice CEO, ECS North
Brown & Fortunato, P.C. Seth Johnson
Jeffrey S. Baird VP Government Affairs,
Chairman, Health Care Group, Pride Mobility Products Corp.
Hannah Wolfson Brown & Fortunato, P.C. Miriam Lieber
Mary Ellen Conway President, Lieber Consulting
Chief Compliance Officer Sheldon “Shelly” Prial
US Med Prial Consulting
Louis Feuer Bradley Smith
President, Dynamic Seminars Managing Director/Partner
& Consulting Vertess
Jim Greatorex William A. Dombi,
Vice President President, National Association
VGM Live at Home for Home Care & Hospice
Mike Hamilton
Executive Director, Alabama
Durable Medical
We want to know what you think and how we can serve you better.
BE HEARD
Equipment Association
Send your comments and feedback to Managing Editor Kristin Easterling at
keasterling@cahabamedia.com. We’d love to hear from you!
HomeCare® (ISSN# 0882-2700) is published monthly by the Cahaba Media Group, 1900 28th Avenue S., Suite 200, Birmingham, AL 35209. Periodicals
postage paid at Birmingham, AL, and additional mailing offices. SUBSCRIPTIONS: Free of charge to qualified HME and home health workers. Publisher
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of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. The publisher does not warrant, either expressly or by implication, Matthew G. Conroy Terri McVey
the factual accuracy of any advertisements, articles or descriptions herein, nor does the publisher warrant the validity of any views or opinions offered
by the authors of said articles or descriptions. The opinions expressed are those of the individual authors, and do not necessarily represent the opinions
of Cahaba Media Group. Cahaba Media Group makes no representation or warranties regarding the accuracy or appropriateness of the advice or any VP-Sales Controller
advertisements contained in this magazine. SUBMISSIONS: We welcome submissions. Unless otherwise negotiated in writing by the editors, by sending Greg Meineke Brandon Whittemore
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third parties) to edit, reproduce, distribute, publish, and adapt your submission in any medium on multiple occasions. You 1900 28th Avenue South, Suite 200
are free to publish your submission yourself or to allow others to republish your submission. Submissions will not be returned.
VOLUME 43 NUMBER 2 Birmingham, AL 35209 • Phone: (205) 212-9402
2 HOMECARE | FEBRUARY 2021
Senior
Engagement
Technology Can
Improve Your
Bottom Line
Discover options for growing market
share & improving patient quality of life
Tuesday,
February 16
2 p.m. Eastern
There’s an epidemic of isolation among seniors—and a This webinar will help you:
pandemic has made the problem worse. Fighting loneliness • Discover a bedside technology option that
helps with patients’ quality of life and keeping them reduced staff stress by 20% in a university study
connected can improve outcomes. But introducing new • Learn how evidence-based senior-friendly
technology can have hurdles. In this webinar, you will learn technology can improve patient outcomes
about how bringing simple, affordable senior engagement • Understand how you can support virtual care
options to your clients can make your team’s job easier and for your patients, especially during COVID-19
help you capture more market share. restrictions that may prohibit in-person care
Presented by:
J. BENJAMIN “BEN” UNKLE, JR.
Chief Executive Officer
Westminster-Canterbury on Chesapeake Bay
and Senior Options LLC
Since Ben Unkle became CEO in 2009, WCCB has grown to serve over 8,500 people through its expanded home and community-based
services. The organization is a leader in exploring digital engagement tools as a way to raise the standard of care nationally. Under its
award-winning Birdsong Initiative, WCCB formed a partnership with Eastern Virginia Medical School and Virginia Wesleyan College to
conduct a series of rigorous academic studies on the impact of increased engagement via technology upon the mood and mind of
people suffering with dementia.
Before joining WCCB, Unkle was senior vice president of operations for the western region of Erickson Living, including eight Erickson
Life Plan Communities in Texas, Kansas, Colorado, Illinois and Michigan. He started out practicing law before joining the senior living
industry through Erickson Living’s Executive Development Program.
Sponsored by
FREE
Register at
homecaremag.com/webinars
FEBRUARY 2021
In this issue
COVER SERIES: PLANNING
16 5 steps you should take to get ready
for the 2021 gold rush
19 The 4 elements of your plan for sales
success in 2021
22 The “A-B-C” keys to business planning
during & after COVID-19
HME
26 How contact centers can improve
productivity & your bottom line
28 Follow retail leaders to learn the
secrets of patient engagement
16 30 Tracking patient meds can be easier
with technology
IN-HOME CARE
32 Remote patient monitoring can
reduce unnecessary hospitalizations
34 4 ways digital communities help
seniors aging alone
36 Choosing the right RCM partner for
26 32 your home health or hospice agency
38 Understanding & preventing elder
abuse in the home
IN EVERY ISSUE
42 5 Industry News
9 Government Affairs
10 Columns
41 HomeCare Directory:
Scooters & Power Chairs
48 Back Page
MARKET-LEADING PRODUCTS
42 New on the Market
43 Lifts & Transfers
44 CPAP
44 46 Beds 46
4 HOMECARE | FEBRUARY 2021
INDUSTRY NEWS
317 %
Interim HealthCare Names
Therapist of the Year
Google
Interim HealthCare Inc., a national franchise searches for
network of homecare, senior care, home “telehealth”
health, hospice and health care staffing
surged by
services, has named physical therapist
Ethan Sowell 2020 Therapist of the Year. 317% in the
Sowell earned widespread appreciation from United States
patients and leaders for his commitment
after a the
to delivering compassionate care and
supporting the mission of Interim national
HealthCare of the Upstate in South Carolina. public health emergency was declared March 13, 2020,
The award is given to an individual who is according to a new report from OnlineDoctor.com.
determined to embody Interim HealthCare’s
core values of integrity, compassion and “I’m excited to be here at Merits and
UPCOMING customer focus. back in the (durable medical equipment)
EVENTS
Physical therapists, occupational industry,” Laiman said. “It’s always been
therapists, speech language pathologists, a passion of mine to assist and improve
physical therapy assistants and certified mobility technology and improve quality
We want to make sure our occupational therapy assistants were all of life.”
readers know about upcoming eligible for the award. meritsusa.com
event opportunities. Since joining Interim HealthCare of the
Here is what is coming up in the Upstate in 2018, Sowell quickly advanced to ArchCare Launches Telehealth for
next few weeks. Did we miss an become a therapy lead. He also trains PACE Participants
event? Send info to new therapists on home health care ArchCare, the Archdiocese of New York’s
keasterling@cahabamedia.com.
essentials, the importance of following health care system that cares for more than
orthopedic physician protocols and how 9,000 seniors, economically marginalized
MAR 20–24 NHCPO Hospice &
to use the company’s electronic medical people and those with special needs,
Palliative Care Leadership &
record system. announced that it will install MedSign’s
Advocacy Conference
This year, Sowell also helped patients Qortex Telehealth System for all ArchCare
Virtual
and their families navigate the COVID-19 Senior Life participants.
nhcpo.org
pandemic. This work included ensuring that ArchCare Senior Life is a Program of
APR 19 National Home a patient recovering from a brain tumor All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE),
Infusion Association removal received the expert rehabilitation a community-based health care model
Annual Conference needed at home to prevent a transfer to created for people 55 and over who require
Virtual a hospital or long-term care facility with nursing home-level care but prefer to receive
nhia.org higher infection risks. it in their own home. Qortex is the first
interimhealthcare.com telehealth system that connects health
APR 27–29 MAMES care professionals to patients through their
Spring Excellence in HME Laiman Takes Reins at Merits television set rather than via a computer or
Midwest Conference Mike Laiman has been named president of smartphone. The system was designed with
Des Moines, Iowa Merits USA and its sister brands Avid Rehab, seniors in mind for ease of use.
mames.com Precision Comfort and Pilot. By allowing individuals to connect with
Laiman, who is coming out of retirement doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, social
MAY 26–27 AAHomecare to take on the position at Merits, has had a workers, therapists and other patient support
Washington Legislative long history in the manufacturing industry, personnel through their TV set at home,
Conference 2021 including time in aerospace manufacturing. Qortex will enhance safety and well-being
Washington, D.C. Most notably, Laiman was with Pride for ArchCare program residents and in turn
aahomecare.org Mobility for over six years as the senior vice reduce unnecessary emergency room visits
president of operations. and hospital admissions. The system also
HOMECAREMAG.COM 5
As we go to print, the COVID-19 vaccine distribution is underway—and hitting snags in some
75
locations. Here’s a roundup of the latest.
%
Independent Pharmacies Key to of adults 65+
Vaccine Distribution say they would
Along with public health agencies,
definitely or
hospitals and national drugstore chains,
independent pharmacies are gearing up probably get
to help vaccinate the masses, especially vaccinated, vs.
in rural areas. 55% of those
Oswald’s Pharmacy, a 145-year-old
family-owned business in Naperville,
under 30,
Illinois, is just one of many community according to a Pew
pharmacies that has signed an Research Center
agreement with the federal government
poll in December.
to provide the vaccine.
“Our pharmacy has done almost
triple the number of flu shots this past Proposed Phases of COVID-19 Vaccination
year compared to last season,” Bors told
16-64 years 16-64 years
HomeCare. “I think if those numbers are
with high -risk Without high -risk
any indication, I’m expecting that we will medical conditions medical conditions
Essential Workers
have a very high demand for the vaccine.” (>110M) (
13.6 m
allows video calls to be received through
the television, which can reduce feelings of
isolation and improve mental wellness.
ArchCare initiated a pilot program with
MedSign in October 2020 in a number of
PACE participant homes throughout the New
York City area. Following positive data and
survey results from the pilot, ArchCare Senior
Life is now instituting an accelerated rollout.
Specially trained MedSign technicians will
install the Qortex system in the home of Number of people who had received one or more doses of
each ArchCare Senior Life resident and will
teach the patient and their family members
the vaccine at press time, according to the CDC.
or caregivers how to operate the system
using the easy remote control specifically
designed for seniors. Patricia Drea as senior vice president. Drea She has also been CEO of At Home Total
archcare.org served a dozen years as chair of the board Care, administrative director for homecare
and chief operating officer at Visiting services at Tenet Hospital System’s Piedmont
Drea Joins Axxess Leadership Team Angels and is a past chair of the National Medical Center, and national director of
Axxess, a provider of homecare technology, Association for Home Care & Hospice’s provider relations for Staff Builders.
has hired private duty homecare expert Private Duty Home Care Association. axxess.com
Check 106 on index.
HOMECAREMAG.COM 7
strategic partners and Wheaton, Illinois- Medical Guardian Gets
MERGERS & based First Trust Capital Partners, LLC also Growth Investment
ACQUISITIONS
participated in the round. Medical Guardian announced it has
Funding will be used to accelerate Dina’s received a growth investment from Water
development of its care coordination Street Healthcare Partners, a strategic
Jan. 4, 2021 platform and expansion of its national investor focused exclusively on health
CareXM Acquires network to support the rapid transition to
care. The company will leverage Water
TouchPoint Care virtual and in-home care.
Street’s deep expertise in health care and
The company offers a category of
significant capital commitment to pursue
Jan. 4, 2021 solutions it refers to as “Care Traffic Control.”
acquisitions and organic initiatives that
Numotion Acquires Wheeler’s It is designed to support hospitals and
will further its expansion and aggressively
Medical Supply insurers as they shift from monitoring
grow its leadership position in the personal
patients in hospital beds to monitoring
Jan. 6, 2021 patients at home and in other post-acute
emergency response system (PERS) industry.
Henry Shein, Inc. Acquires care settings.
Geoff Gross, Medical Guardian’s founder
Prism Medical Products, LLC Dina saw rapid growth in 2020 and and CEO, chose to partner with Water
increased revenue by 250%. Since the Street to advance the company’s strategic
Jan. 6, 2021 expansion. The financial terms are not
UnitedHealth Group Acquires national COVID-19 health emergency was
declared, it expanded its homecare network being disclosed.
Change Healthcare
to 25 states, launched new digital products With the number of Americans aged
Jan. 7, 2021 to remotely engage patients and homecare 65 years and older increasing along with
CareFinders Total Care workers, and facilitated over 3.1 million seniors’ desire to live in their own homes as
Acquires ORI Homecare “digital dialogues” to help providers manage they age, demand for Medical Guardian’s
symptoms and recovery. medical alert services continues to rise. The
Jan. 11, 2021 dinacare.com company has more than 160,000 active
Thuasne Acquires Knit-Rite PERS subscribers across the country. Its
Sprockets Completes Venture Raise products are fully integrated with customer
Sprockets, a hiring- and workforce-related support services, providing seniors with
Nori Joins NSM
software as a service (SaaS) company serving 24/7 protection and deploying emergency
National Seating & Mobility (NSM), a
the food service, health care and hospitality personnel if an alert is received.
national provider of comprehensive
markets, announced the conclusion of a Medical Guardian, which sells direct to
mobility solutions, is pleased to announce
$3.4 million venture raise. consumers, has grown rapidly since its
the selection of Rick Nori as regional area
Due to growth before and during founding in 2005 and has been named to
director of Canada. Nori is the former vice
COVID-19, Sprockets showed strong demand Inc. Magazine’s Fastest Growing Private
president and general manager of KiMobility
from verticals dependent on the hourly Companies list for the past eight years.
Canada, a key supplier partner to NSM.
workforce with high employee turnover. This Working with Water Street, Medical
Nori has 32 years of experience in the
raise sets the company up for significant
complex rehab and HME industries in sales Guardian will invest in acquisitions and
expansion within its service markets.
and senior management positions. As organic initiatives to expand its health care
Sprockets’ Applicant Matching System
regional area director, he will lead branch partnerships and channels and extend into
evaluates potential hires based on the
operations throughout Canada, replacing complementary services.
traits of a company’s best employees to
Darryl Mackie, who retired in January. medicalguardian.com
determine if they will be the right fit for
nsm-seating.com the organization. There is no guesswork,
frustration or high turnover. The company
Dina Announces Series A has already helped numerous franchisees of
Funding Round companies such as McDonald’s, Chick-fil-a GET MORE
Dina, an artificial intelligence-powered care-
at-home platform and network, announced
and HomeWell.
This round of investment included Lytical
NEWS
that it has closed a $7 million Series A Ventures, Thayer Venture, Healthy Ventures Visit homecaremag.com/news for the
funding round led by Philadelphia-based and VentureSouth. industry info you need to know.
Osage Venture Partners. Existing investors, sprockets.ai
8 HOMECARE | FEBRUARY 2021GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
How the Latest The $1.4 trillion omnibus spending bill
Spending Bill
passed December 2020 is more than 5,600
pages long. The bill worked to keep the
government running and provided
Affects You
$900 billion in additional COVID-19 relief;
it also contained these big wins for the
homecare industry.
HR 133 STATUS ›› Became public law 116-260
on Dec. 27, 2020.
By Kristin Easterling
Medicare Sequestration Moratorium centers to serve as the hospice-attending • Additional certainty to providers by
Medicare sequestration was suspended physician for patients served by such clarifying that payments made before
during the coronavirus public health centers. The package has been modified to Sept. 19, 2020, must be calculated using
emergency. HR 133 extended the keep routine hospice survey frequency at the Frequently Asked Question guidance
moratorium on the 2% sequestration through once every 36 months and focuses increased released by the Department of Health and
March 31, 2021. The National Association for scrutiny on problem providers. Human Services on June 19, 2020; and
Homecare & Hospice (NAHC) estimates this • Flexibility for providers by clarifying
will save home health and hospice agencies Oxygen that eligible health care providers may
$90 million. The package also provides for The bill provided a fix to budget neutrality transfer all or any part of such payments
a one-time 3.75% increase in the Medicare provisions included in the 1997 Balanced among the subsidiary eligible health care
Physician Fee Schedule for 2021, according Budget Act. These provisions were causing providers of the parent organization.
to an analysis by Jeffry Baird, chairman of rural providers to receive less compensation
the health care group at Brown & Fortunato. for oxygen products. During the COVID-19 Medicaid
This amount adjusts the effects of the crisis, regulatory action set rural The legislation extends a number of expiring
fee schedule budget neutrality rules and reimbursement to a 50/50 blended rate. The Medicaid programs and:
provides additional assistance by way of new law provides a permanent legislative fix. • Requires state Medicaid programs to cover
payment to physicians and other clinics. The Congressional Budget Office estimates nonemergency medical transportation to
this will put $650 million back into the ensure that beneficiaries who lack access
Occupational Therapy pockets of rural oxygen providers. to regular transportation are able to travel
The package included the Medicare Home to their medical appointments;
Health Flexibility Act (HR 3127/S 1725), Provider Support Relief • Enhances protections for beneficiaries
which allows occupational therapists to Fund Payments receiving home-and community-based
perform the comprehensive assessment The legislation provides additional relief services by authorizing Medicaid Fraud
for a home health episode—a change the to health care providers, including making Control Units to investigate fraud and
industry has lobbied for. additional investments in the Provider Relief abuse in noninstitutional settings;
Fund and clarifying policies related to certain • Extends protections against spousal
Hospice Legislation aspects of the program. It provides: impoverishment for partners of recipients
Hospice provisions include several items that • $3 billion in new resources for the Provider of home and community based services
the industry has been working on over recent Relief Fund, bringing the total to for three years; and
years, including hospice survey reforms and $178 billion; • Extends funding for the Money Follows
the Rural Access to Hospice Act, which will • The possibility for nongovernment- the Person rebalancing demonstration for
allow physicians and practitioners at rural financed homecare, which had been an additional three years while making
health centers and federally qualified health omitted, to receive some of the funding; program improvements.
LEARN MORE ›› Find a more in-depth analysis at homecaremag.com.
HOMECAREMAG.COM 9COLUMN
HME: AUDITS
By Kelly Grahovac
When You’re Under
the Microscope
Dissecting an OCR investigation
The Health Insurance Portability and entering into settlement agreements with activity that, if proven true, would violate the
Accountability Act (HIPAA), was established the covered entity or business associate Privacy or Security Rule.
to protect individuals’ medical records and under review.
protected health information (PHI) through The OCR reports a steady annual increase HIPAA Privacy & Security Rule
its privacy and security rules. Health care of complaints about violations, from 21,404 Complaint Process
providers that receive reimbursement for received in 2016 up to 28,261 complaints If the OCR accepts a complaint for
claims from federal programs are considered entered in 2019. Covered entities can fall investigation, the OCR will notify the person
covered entities and are responsible for victim to an OCR complaint from both who filed the complaint and the covered
compliance with HIPAA regulations. In internal and external threats. Patients—or entity named in it. Then the complainant
doing so, covered entities typically have an their caregivers—are most often the source and the covered entity are asked to present
established HIPAA compliance program. of a complaint to the OCR if they believe information about the incident or problem
The Office of Civil Rights (OCR) is the their health information privacy rights have described in the complaint. The OCR may
federal agency responsible for enforcing been violated. Invalid recipients of PHI request specific information from each party
HIPAA privacy and security rules. The OCR could also report your organization or your to get an understanding of the facts. The
conducts routine audits of covered entities business partners to the OCR if they believe OCR will review the evidence that it gathers
and their business associates to ensure that a violation of the Privacy, Security or to make a determination on whether or not
compliance with HIPAA, although most of its Breach Notification Rules has occurred. the covered entity violated the requirements
investigative efforts are the result of reported Internally, current and former employees of the rules.
offenses and complaints. could report your organization to the OCR If the evidence indicates that the covered
In most instances, OCR investigations if they believe that a violation of the rules entity was not in compliance, the OCR will
result in technical assistance being given has occurred. An investigation may also attempt to resolve the case with the covered
to the covered entity or business associate, be a result of a complaint or referral from a entity by obtaining voluntary compliance,
including education and information on the government entity. corrective actions, and/or a resolution
appropriate actions to take to protect patient It is important to note that covered agreement. Most Privacy and Security
PHI. However, there are some instances that entities are required by law to cooperate with Rule investigations are concluded to the
result in corrective actions, such as the OCR investigations. A complaint must allege an satisfaction of the OCR through these types
28,261
of resolutions. If, however, the covered entity
does not take action to resolve the matter in
a satisfactory manner, the OCR may decide
to impose civil money penalties.
Inside an OCR Investigation
As a health care consultancy, our company
has worked with several clients undergoing
OCR desk audits and investigations,
all with positive outcomes. And while
each investigation is different, there
are commonalties. As detailed earlier,
OCR complaints were received in 2019 the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules
10 HOMECARE | FEBRUARY 2021complaint process follows a standard violated. This includes producing those that use internal and external resources to get
pathway that begins with a complaint that were in effect at the time of the incident started. Beginning the process with a risk
is reviewed by the OCR for validity before and those currently in effect, including all analysis and management plan can make
an investigation is initiated. If the OCR revisions. Additional forms of documentation the task of drafting and implementing
determines an investigation is warranted, are also requested as evidence that privacy policies and procedures easier and pave the
the covered entity will be notified in writing and security rules are followed. This could way for employee training.
of the data request. The notification will include employee training documents and Maintaining HIPAA compliance not only
include the complainant’s name and the logs, security and risk assessments, security provides an organization’s employees,
allegations brought forth in the complaint. agreements with business associates and business partners and patients with the
The OCR notification will also include a other third-party vendors, and even internal assurance that it values the importance of
list of references to the applicable HIPAA memos and emails. Without a doubt, protecting patient health information, but
Administrative Simplification Regulation (45 covered entities that had a comprehensive also gives it the ability to more easily
CFR §160, §162, and §164) that the covered HIPAA compliance program in place conduct business functions. In the event
entity may have violated. were able to produce the documentation your organization finds itself under the
It is the responsibility of the covered requested by the OCR much more easily microscope of an OCR investigation, a
entity to respond to the data request within than those that did not. fully implemented HIPAA compliance
30 days of receipt with all items requested. program will make the response time faster
Typically, the length of the data request HIPAA Compliance Basics and easier—and is more likely to yield
correlates with the number of alleged All HIPAA compliance programs require positive results.
violations; it is not uncommon for a data four main components to be successful: a
request to include 20 or more items to be security and risk assessment, policies and Kelly Grahovac serves as the general manager for The
addressed, as many of the privacy and procedures, employee training and business van Halem Group, where she focuses on audits, appeals,
education and training across multiple lines of business
security requirements are overlapping. associate management. and various specialties. Grahovac uses her 15 years’
A covered entity will be required to Creating and maintaining a HIPAA experience in Medicare regulations to assist providers
as they navigate the ever-changing health care payer
produce its HIPAA policies and procedures compliance program does not have to landscape. Vist vanhalemgroup.com.
corresponding to the rule that was allegedly be a daunting task. An organization can
HOMECAREMAG.COM 11COLUMN
IN-HOME CARE: SPO2
By Michael Becker
Patient Data at solutions combine continuous SpO2
measurements with a secure patient
Your Fingertips
surveillance platform, allowing physicians to
review a patient’s trended data remotely and
communicate with them through a secure
application in the event a return to the
Tips for choosing and using an Sp02 hospital is necessary.
monitoring device Recommending the Right
Pulse Oximeter
When monitoring patients at home, it’s
important to use a pulse oximetry solution
Breathing brings oxygen into the lungs. From as with stable, low-acuity or ambulatory that is light, comfortable, easy to use,
there, oxygen travels to the rest of the body patients. Many spot-check devices are durable and portable—keeping in mind
via the hemoglobin in blood. Maintaining portable and handheld, making them that, as mentioned above, technological
adequate oxygen delivery throughout the convenient for use on the go. However, advancements have now made it possible
body is vital to healthy body function. through recent innovations, continuous to provide the benefits of continuous
Oxygen saturation, or SpO2, is a measure monitoring is now available in wireless and monitoring in a device that promotes patient
of the percentage of oxygen-carrying tetherless forms that allow patients to move comfort and allows freedom of movement as
hemoglobin in the blood. Without oxygen about freely while still being monitored— readily as fingertip spot-check devices.
delivery, hypoxemia (low blood oxygen) offering the best of both worlds. But even when narrowing your selection
and hypoxia (lack of oxygen in tissue) can to pulse oximeters with these physical
occur—both of which can be life threatening Continuous Monitoring attributes, there are many technological
and cause irreversible harm if not acted With more data comes the potential for more differences that separate good pulse
upon quickly. That’s why measuring SpO2 effective clinical assessment. Continuous oximeters from bad and reliable from
can be important when assembling a full monitoring offers trended data and unreliable. Be wary of inexpensive, unproven,
picture of a patient’s status and assessing configurable alarms, helping caregivers stay nonhospital-grade devices that trade a low
their care needs. aware of patient progress and providing early price for a lack of accuracy and reliability.
Pulse oximetry is commonly used indications that further intervention may Also avoid smartwatches and other fitness-
to measure SpO2 levels; It’s accurate, be needed. Timely warnings or notifications focused devices that may claim to measure
noninvasive and easy to use. Pulse oximeters about patient status are key to early SpO2 but aren’t actually medical devices.
can either provide continuous monitoring or intervention, which helps support better Instead, consider these criteria when
spot-checking. Both types of measurement patient outcomes. For example, a high-risk, recommending a pulse oximeter:
are useful, although continuous monitoring chronic care patient taking one or more • Has it received Food and Drug
offers additional benefits that may help medications can experience unexpected Administration clearance for reading
inform clinical assessments. adverse events. With continuous monitoring, (accurately measuring) through
caretakers have greater visibility into their challenging conditions such as patient
Know the Difference patient’s condition and—with the aid of motion and low perfusion (decreases in
Here are some different approaches to continuous, high-fidelity data—can arterial blood flow)? This is especially
monitoring SpO2 levels. Knowing which is make effective clinical judgements and important for neonatal patients, who are
preferable helps detrmine which technology care decisions. often prone to involuntary movement. Low
to use. perfusion is also common, for example in
Remote Monitoring elderly patients with vascular or cardiac
Spot-checking Remote continuous SpO2 monitoring is conditions. Many of the cheap fingertip
Spot-checking SpO2 provides caregivers also growing in popularity. The COVID-19 devices found readily online do not have
with a snapshot of a patient’s blood pandemic and the need for telemedicine such capabilities, lacking the advanced
oxygen status at the precise moment the solutions have driven increased demand algorithms and signal processing that
measurement is made. This can be more for SpO2 monitoring that conveys trended allow more sophisticated devices to
convenient in situations where a patient data from patients convalescing at home separate noise from true arterial signal.
may not need continuous surveillance, such to clinicians off site. Remote monitoring Unreliable SpO2 readings under these
12 HOMECARE | FEBRUARY 2021common conditions can lead to excessive It’s important to remember that the less for specific application sites and patient
false alarms and inaccurate data, delayed direct clinician involvement in a patient’s populations (e.g., adult versus pediatric),
notifications, and an inability to obtain care—that is, the less time a patient spends ensure that the appropriate sensor is being
timely information about high-acuity being actively supervised—the more the used. Proper application can also vary
patients. patient and caregiver are reliant on the depending on the type of sensor being used;
• Has the technology been validated by pulse oximeter to do its job accurately and for example, when using a neonatal wrap
a substantive body of clinical evidence reliably, with timely notifications and alarms sensor, it should be spiral-wrapped down the
drawn from objective, peer-reviewed when it matters most. digit rather than wrapped around itself to
studies? help prevent pressure necrosis and ensure
• Has the device had its performance proven Keys to Success When adequate blood flow.
in hospital environments and been used Measuring SpO2 Sensor sites should also be checked
on the sickest of patients, such as those Proper patient preparation and sensor periodically, or per clinical protocol, to
in the intensive care unit or neonatal application are crucial for obtaining ensure adequate adhesion and circulation,
skin integrity and correct optical alignment.
intensive care unit? accurate readings. The ideal monitoring
Remember to be especially cautious in the
• Does it have validated accuracy site is selected based on the perfusion of
case of poor perfusion; skin erosion and
specifications of 2% or less, even in the digit or extremity. Perfusion readings
pressure necrosis can result if a sensor is not
challenging conditions? are available on some pulse oximeters to
moved or readjusted regularly. To maximize
• Was the technology developed and has it help select a site with a strong signal. Before
sensor life, replacement tapes that replace
been shown to measure accurately on a applying a sensor, prepare the monitoring
only the adhesive components of the sensor
variety of skin pigmentations? Because site by making sure the skin is clean and dry.
can be extremely convenient and make
pulse oximeters depend on the passage of Pulse oximetry sensors use an emitter to
rechecking and readjusting sensor sites
light through the skin, older technologies shine light through the application site and relatively simple.
and those not developed or tested on measure light that passes through the site
a variety of pigmentations are often using a detector. Upon sensor application,
Michael Becker serves as the chief nursing executive/vice
unable to accurately measure the SpO2 of ensure that the optical components (the president of nursing at Masimo. Before Masimo, he was
patients with darker skin tones. emitter and the detector) are aligned. the chief nursing officer at Penn Presbyterian Medical
Center in Philadelphia. Becker has extensive clinical
Misapplied sensors or sensors that are operating and patient quality and safety experience. He
To sum up, it’s important to seek out a not securely placed or have gaps where has presented nationally and internationally on such
topics as utilizing technology to enhance workflow,
pulse oximeter that can perform even when extraneous light might enter can lead to innovations in quality and safety and the patient
the patient is in motion, has cold hands and inaccurate readings and, in some cases, false experience. Visit masimo.com.
has darker skin or is in bright sunlight. alarms. Also, because sensors are designed
HOMECAREMAG.COM 13COLUMN
ROADMAP: REFERRALS
By Amy Selle
Maintaining Referral • Empathize—Realize that referral sources
Relationships
are facing ever-changing demands
and priorities. Make sure your actions
validate the uncertainty we’re all facing.
Investigate opportunities to help and
Through COVID-19
focus your interactions in a partnered way
that takes into consideration their time
and evolving needs.
• How can you help?—For long-term,
Use the downtime to boost your sales team established referral source relationships,
ask what you can do to help them meet
their needs. Be ready to think outside
the box to come up with a solution to the
problems they’re facing.
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the and can’t do on a daily basis regarding
world as we know it. Navigating a landscape requests for services, enabling your sales To preserve the relationship you’ve
that seems to change every day has led to team to focus outreach appropriately. established with these referral sources, think
a period of adjustment for everyone. There • Solidify a crisis communication plan so about creative ways to provide support and
are vital steps your homecare company’s your sales team stays on message when to stay connected. For example:
sales and outreach team can take now to talking with referral sources, clients, • Make use of video calling applications
build and strengthen key relationships, stay families and members of the community. for communications with your referral
productive, plan for the future and weather
2
sources. If a referral source sends you
the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. Place the focus on strengthening an email, ask if you can arrange for a
current referral relationships.
1
10-minute meeting through Zoom or a
Stay in regular communication Due to the need for social distancing, your similar platform to connect and discuss
with your entire team. sales staff needs to work creatively, using how to best offer assistance. However, if
Preparing your team, including your the phone, email and other digital means the issue is easily resolved via email, send
caregivers or technicians, with updated, of communication to showcase how your the email. If possible, offer to host virtual
dependable information is crucial, as company is ready to meet needs and activities for facility-based customers.
it will ensure everyone is on the same solve problems. • Support your referral partners’ volunteer
page, build unity and morale, and, in In the short term, your sales team should endeavors and select opportunities
particular, establish trust during this time focus on strengthening existing relationships in your community where you can
of uncertainty. To implement internal with referral sources and can place new contribute staff and/or expertise to fill a
communications that are effective: prospecting on the back burner. Think about need for essential services for older adults
• Put in place regular—even daily— how your sales team can support these and other vulnerable people.
communications to share changes or referral sources: • Use social media to share useful, factual
other important information with • Listen—When referral sources contact and scientifically-sourced information,
your team. your company, be sure to truly listen and to offer encouragement—not just
• Be sure to include your sales and intake to their needs and be ready to work in targeted to referral sources and those on
team in operational meetings. new and creative ways to problem-solve the front lines, but to seniors and their
• Outline what your organization can together. families as well.
One great way to take advantage of this 3 Try having your team wear
different hats.
Your sales team may find they are
time is to use it to plan and assess your available to help your agency in other
capacities during these times. This allows
current sales processes and strategies. knowledgeable staff members to focus their
talents on other areas of the business, and
also provides opportunities for professional
14 HOMECARE | FEBRUARY 2021growth and cross-training, helping your sales • Build and populate your CRM. • Create a plan for outreach, extending
force to be more in touch with the services • Evaluate and formalize your sales plan, to beyond referral sources to those in need of
they are selling. Sales staff can: include a time and territory plan. care post-COVID-19; and
• assist with operations where needed; • Research and create a list of new • Get ready to resume face-to-face sales as
• contact clients and/or caregivers to check prospects to target after the crisis has soon as social distancing and isolation
in with them about their services and passed. guidelines are relaxed in your community,
overall well-being; and • Analyze the past three years’ worth realizing that the rules may change
• help with recruiting and the hiring and/or of sales data to identify trends and regarding who is allowed to visit hospitals
orientation process. relationships you may want to rebuild. and care facilities and how often.
• Develop a solid process for managing
4 Make the most of this time.
One great way to take advantage of
this time is to use it to plan and assess your
inquiries, including capturing all data in
your scheduling system.
• Calculate your conversion rate and create
While none of us are able to pinpoint
exactly when the crisis will end or what
“normal” will look like, one thing is certain:
current sales processes and strategies. What a plan to improve it. Referral sources and members of your
has been successful? Where might there community will remember your agency’s
be opportunities for growth or additional
outreach? Focus any downtime on creating
a plan that will allow you to hit the
5 Plan ahead for what will come
after the crisis.
After the immediate emergency has abated,
efforts to develop creative solutions and to
offer a steadying hand throughout the
pandemic.
ground running after the current crisis is homecare agencies need to be on the front
under control. lines, ready to provide care. Amy Selle is the vice president of corecubed, an in-home
• Use this time to reflect on questions such While travel and meetings are rarer, care marketing company that uses the best homecare
sales and marketing talent to promote care companies.
as: What is working well? Where can concentrate on using this time to: Selle acts as a strategic marketing partner to corecubed
we improve? What are three (or more) • Develop a plan for an influx of new clients: clients, helping them achieve results in an increasingly
dynamic marketplace. To help ensure your agency
opportunities that are worth pursuing? Evaluate staffing needs, necessary stands out in the crowded aging care marketplace,
• Develop a sales SWOT (Strengths, training for staff, and care or product contact the homecare marketing experts at corecubed by
phone at (800) 370-6580 or email info@corecubed.com
Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) needs specific to patients who are or visit corecubed.com.
analysis. recovering from COVID-19;
HOMECAREMAG.COM 155 Things You Should Do to Be
Ready for the 2021 Gold Rush
Lay the foundation for scaling & success before the
homecare boom hits full swing
By Lauren Davenport
66 %
Two thirds—a whopping 66%—of nursing
homes say they will close in 2021 due to the
pressures of COVID-19, according to a recent
study released by the American Health
Care Association and the National Center for
Assisted Living.
What does that mean for homecare?
Whether your organization is providing of nursing homes say they
personal care, skilled nursing or home will close in 2021 due to the
medical equipment, the demand for your pressures of COVID-19
services will likely be unlike anything you’ve
ever experienced. Sounds exciting, right? It
1
should be. But, like all exciting opportunities,
skills needed to successfully scale your Align your leadership team.
there are risks.
organization won’t happen overnight. But if If you were to call your leadership team
The most dangerous scenario is taking
you start laying the foundation now, you into a conference room and ask them about
on a massive influx of clients without
will be better prepared to take advantage your organization’s goals for 2021, what
developing the strategies needed to scale
of the changing homecare landscape as the would they say? Would the answers be
your organization. Is it possible to succeed
year progresses. concise and consistent—or would you be
without this critical planning? Sure, but it’s a
greeted with a room full of blank stares?
recipe for painful operational failures, brand-
damaging online reviews, and, in the worst Planning to Scale Your Organization If you think they would be concise
in the Year Ahead and consistent, great job! You’re already
instances, it can even be the catalyst to your
Ready to get started? Great! There are five on the right track. Make sure that these
business going under.
foundational steps you should follow to goals weren’t just written by the CEO and
The great news is that this doesn’t have
published in the annual company meeting.
to be you. Developing the strategies and thrive and scale.
Having a list to recite isn’t good enough. Your
team needs buy-in with the goals too, or else
they will never come to fruition.
If you don’t have annual goals in place On the other hand, if the answer is
blank stares, know that you’re not alone.
yet, begin by scheduling a meeting with It takes time and intentional planning to
set benchmarks for your organization. It’s
your key leadership team. easy to get caught up in the day-to-day of
running your business, but it’s definitely
worth the time.
16 HOMECARE | FEBRUARY 2021Assuming they find
your brand online, it’s important that it
your presence there is designed to evoke
positive thoughts and feelings. When people
see your logo and brand messaging, does
it immediately tell them that you care
about the work you do? Does it make your
organization look professional and like a
well-established entity they can trust? Or
does it look outdated and offer little to no
information about who you are, what you
2 Build a brand people trust.
If you don’t have annual goals in place believe in and the services you provide?
yet, begin by scheduling a meeting with In order to thrive in 2021, it’s critical The best way to gauge this is by
your key leadership team. Start by asking that your brand instills trust from the very continuing the discussion with your
where they see the company in five years. first touch point. Due to the pandemic, leadership team from Step 1. Google your
Resist the temptation to dominate the it’s unlikely that traditional in-person top three to five competitors and talk about
conversation; let your leadership team talk. relationship building will be how new what they are doing well and what could be
This will allow you to better understand how patients find you this year. When nursing improved. Write your findings down. Then
they see the organization’s future, which will homes start closing, their clients and clients’ search for your organization. What do you
make it easier to create their buy-in in the families will likely go online to research see? If you were searching for your services,
long run. options for care. would you choose your company over your
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HOMECAREMAG.COM 17competition? Be honest with yourselves. If client looking for your services. What do you organization in 2021, nothing is more critical
the answer is no, you’ve got work to do. search for? Remember that in 2021, people than tracking. The more you measure, the
typically search for questions. Gone are the more data points you will have to determine
3 Modernize the patient experience.
If you’re going to scale, you can’t just
throw people at problems. You need to be
days when people searched for a service and
a location, such as, “homecare Memphis,
Tennessee.” Instead, they are more likely
where things are wildly successful and where
they fall through the cracks. Have weekly
meetings with your leadership team to
efficient in everything you do. One of the to search something like, “How do I choose review data points. How many new clients
easiest ways to improve efficiency is to look a homecare provider for my mom?” Try did you acquire this month? How many
at all of the manual processes you have in multiple variations of searches. Does your new caregivers did you hire? How many
your organization today. organization show up? If not, it’s time to people came to your website this week?
Are new clients still processed over the evaluate your online marketing strategies to Determine the most important metrics to
phone? Do they have to fill out new client make sure you do. your organization’s success and track them
paperwork by printing it out and faxing it In addition to your online strategies, to meticulously.
in? Modern technology can eliminate these fully take advantage of your organization’s
outdated processes to make the patient growth potential in 2021, it’s time to get to 2021: The Year Your Organization
experience easier for everyone. And a simple, know the people leading the nursing homes Can Thrive
easy-to-navigate client experience is one of in your community. Identify the top five to Put all five steps into action and this year will
the fastest ways to convert new clients into 10 that may run the risk of failing this year be one for the record books. The best part?
raving fans. and look for ways to build relationships with The work you do to better align your
them. If they do close, your organization will organization with these key steps will benefit
4 Proactively take steps to attract
new business.
In step 2, the assumption was made that
likely be at the top of the list when it comes
time to refer their clients. It’s important
to note that these must be genuine
you for years to come.
Founder of the award-winning health care
new clients would find you online. That can connections if they are going to work. So communications firm The Symphony Agency, Lauren
Davenport leads organizational transformation
be a big assumption that you don’t want to look for creative ways to build a mutually workshops across the country focused on ensuring
overlook. beneficial relationship. companies have the best chance of scaling successfully.
She is a contributor for the New York Daily News and
Take a few minutes to open up an
5
has been featured on Forbes, PBS, ABC Action News,
incognito tab in your web browser and Track your progress. iHeartRadio, AMEX OPEN and more.
pretend you’re the loved one of a potential If you’re committed to scaling your
18 HOMECARE | FEBRUARY 2021Expecting the
Unexpected
4 sales realities to plan for in 2021
By Ty Bello
Well, you survived the unexpected events of the expected and unexpected. We all know source accessibility
2020. Good job! While there may be some that old quote, “Expect the unexpected.” • An increased need to call on the right
lingering effects, now it’s time to prepare Does this mean that if we plan, we can be referral source
for both the expected and unexpected better prepared for the unexpected? That is • More emphasis on content for
encounters in sales. how we are going to approach it. sales engagements
Let’s address the most obvious element The sales path of 2020 was like nothing
for success in 2021—the strategic sales anyone had ever experienced. What did you Let’s address these one at a time and
plan. Ideally, this plan should have been learn from this experience that can better consider how to plan for each.
developed and reviewed toward the end of prepare your business for some unexpected
Slow Migration to a New
2020, and key to-do elements would include:
• Assess the current market and
but highly likely changes in the sales
approach to the referral community? ›› Sales Normal
referral accessibility A closer review of 2020 has revealed Moving through 2020 has proven to be
• Review products and services four unexpected sales challenging for sales professionals in home
currently offered dynamics are likely to medical equipment (HME) and home health
• Review the sales process carry over into 2021: and hospice. The challenges faced in 2020
• Develop a plan by product and services • Slow migration to a subsided slightly early in the fourth quarter,
Whether or not you have done this new sales normal but ramped back up toward the end of the
LOP
exercise, there is still time to plan for both • Changes in referral year and continued into 2021.
As a sales professional, you must realize
that you are on a journey to normality but
DEVE
have not yet reached the destination. Many
changes are still ahead and the best way to
address the current sales environment is on
ASSESS REVIEW a monthly basis.
You cannot control the elements
surrounding the medical referral
community; however, you must look for
opportunities to infiltrate this community
while differentiating your offering.
Changes in Referral
›› Source Accessibility
Accessibility was one of the biggest changes
for most sales professionals in 2020. The
HOMECAREMAG.COM 19ability to speak with and engage a referral
There are strong indications that
source basically disappeared and sales
professionals scrambled for a solution.
We learned that accessibility isn’t limited
to a face-to-face sales call; the use of
accessibility will remain a challenge for
technology and even social media platforms
afforded increased touch points that
sales professionals this year, but this, too,
were otherwise a minor emphasis before can be planned for.
the pandemic.
There are strong indications that
accessibility will remain a challenge for sales a clear understanding of high prescribers
professionals this year, but this, too, can and competitive dynamics in the referral
be planned for by examining all options for community and can help drive
making contact with the referral community. sales professionals to call on the right
A review of what worked for you in 2020 and referral sources.
what challenges exist in your marketplace
will provide great insight and help develop More Emphasis on Content for
your accessibility plan. ›› Sales Engagements
Content was a key driver for accessibility
An Increased Need to Call on the
›› Right Referral Source
in 2020. Those sales professionals who
provided strong and reliable content to the
Sales professionals have always striven to referral community seemed to have more
call on the right referral sources—but let’s access than those that did not.
be realistic and pull back the curtain. Sales Moving into 2021, sales professionals
professionals don’t have a crystal ball, nor must embrace their knowledge of products,
can they predict who the high prescribers services, diagnoses and outcomes to achieve
will be. Please understand that for the past increased access and trust with the referral 2021 is critical. Many providers adapted
few decades, the only way to understand the community. A well-designed marketing well to these elements with the patient and
level of market intelligence was by being strategy that incorporates messaging, referral community. But what will you do
on the street. This accuracy was subjective education and information will be a differently in 2021?
at best. notable differentiator amongst the medical Understanding what the patient,
This year can be a standout year for every referral community. caregiver, family member, significant
provider with the use of market data. The other, referral coordinator, nurse, physician,
market data offered to our industry through Developing a Plan physician assistant, etc. need and want from
outlets like Playmaker Health will provide The expected sales dynamics may seem very us has always been important. In today’s
obvious; however, they must be respected environment, it is essential for success.
as important elements of your success in
2021. You must develop a plan if you want to
achieve excellence.
Here is what to expect and plan for in
2 Telehealth is here to stay.
What role did telehealth play in your
sales efforts in 2020? How did you adapt to
2021: these new opportunities to connect with the
referral community and with patients?
1 There will be a continued need
for services.
Of course, patients and the referral
In 2021, there will likely be yet another
shift in what the industry does with virtual
in-services and telehealth. As an example,
community will still need your services. But virtual services will continue to increase
what will change in the way these services as the referral community travels toward
are offered and referred—the process, its new normal. How will you continue to
delivery, education and compliance? adapt to this and what will differentiate your
How you use your business experience business and offering from other providers
from 2020 to address these questions in through this venue? Virtual in-service is very
20 HOMECARE | FEBRUARY 2021different from in-person service. Has your
team risen to a new level of expectations
and are they capturing the referral source
through these or not?
Telehealth, while not universally used
during the pandemic for HME and home
health, must be explored as an opportunity
for your business. HME providers used
telehealth for setups and even compliance
checks. Similarly, home health adopted
telehealth for patient interactions, which
proved to be valuable.
Telehealth also proved to be both an
outstanding service and a differentiator
for complex rehab providers in 2020. By
using telehealth, an assistive technology
professional can schedule patient
evaluations on behalf of a clinician and then
upload patient medical documentation.
The evaluations are then confirmed by
these efforts were good, they were not Those sales professionals who provided
the clinician and the report is completed.
quite enough. content and not just calories still had
During the pandemic, the standard operating
When access to the referral community access. These same professionals who had
procedure for this service was severely
shrank and patients were still being a sales process for account management,
impacted, but telehealth for complex
identified for homecare services, the prospecting, territory management,
rehabilitation using a service like those
medical community referred to providers messaging and value proposition maintained
offered by the company Telehealth Clinical
that were top of mind and with whom they the high majority, if not all, of the referrals
Evals proved to be the right solution.
had previous relationships. There are fewer from the medical community.
So, how will you adopt telehealth for your
opportunities to be the last one in to trigger
business this year?
someone’s memory before their next referral. In Conclusion
3
A more robust branding and marketing The creation, adoption and execution of a
Success is in the branding.
campaign with specific referral community sales process is paramount for sales success
If we learned anything from 2020, it
and patient targets must be adopted for the in 2021. The adoption of both market data
may be that people only know about our
continued success of your business. and a customer relationship management
business if and when they need it. For the
software are critical.
4
past two decades, the homecare industry has
A sales process is required. We can try to just expect the unexpected,
done a very good job of raising awareness of
The sales process was radically but this is only a glass-half-full approach.
our businesses. This industry has embraced
transformed by the pandemic. There were Moving into 2021 with sales success requires
branding and marketing like never before—
many providers who adapted and an equal knowing both the unexpected and what to
but the events of 2020 proved that although
number who didn’t. expect. It is never too late to plan, so why not
Those who merely survived in 2020 start today?
simply did not do enough to adapt to this This year has already proven to be
new environment and to fully understand different. Are you ready?
how to approach the medical referral
community. For many, the pandemic
exposed the harsh reality that the sales perks Ty Bello, RCC, is the president and founder of
Team@Work, LLC. He is an author, communicator and
used before did nothing more than provide registered coach. The team at T@W has over 50 years
calories through the offering of food, candy, of combined experience in assessing, developing and
coaching sole proprietorships, sales teams, C-suite
snacks and coffee, as opposed to content executives, individuals and teams in a variety of industry
such as education, patient compliance settings. Contact Bello at ty@teamatworkcoaching.com
for your sales and management coaching needs or visit
reporting, referral process information and
teamatworkcoaching.com.
much more.
HOMECAREMAG.COM 21Get Your Ducks in a Row
The “A-B-C” keys to small business success during & after COVID-19
By Heather Bain
Homecare business owners around the
world continue to be vulnerable to the
COVID-19 pandemic, with 79% of in-home
care agencies applying for the Paycheck
Protection Program or Economic Injury
Disaster Loan in 2020 to stay in business. It
is critical for homecare business owners to
reshape their concepts of what it means to
be prepared for an ongoing emergency.
Some specific resources apply to
homecare. For example, the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has
provided interim guidance on homecare
for COVID-19-positive patients. Homecare
providers should determine the risks
and benefits of taking advantage of
opportunities presented by the pandemic.
The Institute of Management
Accountants Small Business Committee
Gaining a clear understanding of your
addresses issues that impact small- and
medium-sized organizations and suggests
cash and working capital needs is the
that small businesses apply a three-step most important and first step in any
assess-build-communicate—or ABC—
recovery planning framework as a starting cash flow management strategy.
point for business continuity in a time of
crisis. That is:
• A: Assess the current situation, is unprecedented, there are many areas in • Based on cash flow, is the continuation of
preferably with a team of experts. which business leaders are unprepared. the business or segment for the next 12
• B: Build a plan by brainstorming with Just how long we’ll experience the impact months probable?
your team of experts (and create a Plan B of the COVID-19 pandemic is unknown, but
as well if you have the resources). it is relatively certain that the economic Managing cash flow is a challenge for
• C: Communicate calmly, clearly and effects will continue for the next six months most small businesses even in the best of
continuously. or longer. times. With the novel coronavirus sweeping
The best place to start is an assessment the globe, managing cash flow is critical
Let’s look closer at each component. of cash flow. Small businesses should ask the for survival. Gaining a clear understanding
following questions: of your cash and working capital needs is
1 Assess the current situation.
First, dig into your current situation to
determine the starting point for planning.
• Based on our cash flows, can we function
for six months?
• If not, is it time to shut down operations
the most important and first step in any
cash flow management strategy. It is vitally
important that you, the small business
Because the present economic environment or segments of our operations? owner, to fully picture what your cash flow
22 HOMECARE | FEBRUARY 2021looks like, especially in the short term. cash position, leaders must gather all must be considered
Consider assessing your cash flow financially relevant data points to create a when evaluating operations and cash
situation for multiple time frames, such clear picture of reality versus expectation. flow scenarios. Now is the time to contact
as 60 days, 90 days and six months. Each Many of the safeguards that business landlords, insurance companies, loan
of these time frames may require you to leaders have used for risk management are relationship managers, vendors and
consider different scenarios. ineffective when a pandemic happens. government agencies to determine
Depending on your situation, you Succession plans, buy-sell agreements, contractual terms and possibly renegotiate
probably have less time than usual to devote insurance policies, contracts with suppliers them. Many lending institutions are allowing
to your business operations and tasks such and loan agreements must be evaluated extensions on loans, credit increases and
as accounts receivable and sales. Take a few immediately. Understanding the practical loan payment deferrals.
minutes and identify the 20% of customers effects of contracts and renegotiating terms
that account for 80% of your revenue and
focus your attention on collecting what you
can from them. Prioritize existing and long-
can pose challenges for small business
owners. In particular, there can be pitfalls in
negotiating commercial real estate leases
3 Communicate.
Once planning has been developed to a
reasonable amount of detail, communicate
term relationships over newer ones; those that disproportionately affect small business the plan, identifying each initiative, the
are the customers who are most likely to owners. This is why it is critical to plan and person accountable for the initiative, and
understand and be willing to work with you. understand your needs. If necessary, reach the actions and budgeted cash flow for the
Sadly, personnel changes are the most out to competent legal counsel, who can initiative. Specify the goals and objectives of
painful transitions to tackle, but they are quickly pinpoint key concerns with real each initiative.
necessary for small business owners. As property or commercial transactions and For instance, some projects like
personnel is often the largest expense most help you reduce your risk in negotiations. internet marketing may continue contact
small businesses have, it must be addressed. Discuss with an attorney whether the with customers, while others, such as
Some items to consider include a reduced effects of COVID-19 are included in the discontinuing business segments, will
(three-day) work week and salary cutbacks contracts under the definitions of force preserve cash and other resources. Since
for senior personnel, including reduced majeure and what remedies are available communication is a two-way stream,
benefits such as deferred retirement plan if it applies. An attorney may advise that create media that will allow for feedback
payments. Be strategic in reducing payroll any pending contracts should be revised to and monitoring. Have your team update
costs and become fully aware of available include specific force majeure language to your plan with information gathered from
government assistance programs—federal, protect the parties from unforeseen effects outside sources—such as the government,
state and local—for obtaining assistance to of nonperformance and liability. the U.S. Small Business Administration,
help your employees. Some types of insurance may exempt the Department of Labor, bank contacts
certain claims under the force majeure or vendors—to help manage supply lines,
2 Build a plan.
The process of assessing cash flows
allows a finance professional, along with
clause or other language, and others may
simply not be enforceable or applicable
in times of public emergency. These
unexpected sources of financial assistance
and so on. Document all communications.
the right experts, to build the plan. In other types of potential scenarios of business The ABC framework is designed to move
words, once a business has evaluated its disruption and simultaneous cash drain small businesses forward in a time of
uncertainty. After this emergency is
resolved, the leaders of many homecare
businesses will be more aware of how to
consider preparations for other types of
business interruptions. Deliberate planning
and action may prove to be the keys to
building a stronger business capable of
withstanding the test of time.
Heather Bain, CPA, CMA, MBA, is the owner of Bain CPA
Business Strategies, LLC, a small business management
advisory firm in Houston, Texas, and accounting
professor for the University of Phoenix there. Bain serves
as chair of the Institute of Management Accountants
Small Business Committee and program director of the
Newspring Business Edge Program.
HOMECAREMAG.COM 23PR A V A
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Check 101 on index.HME
CALL CENTERS
Making the Call
How contact centers can improve productivity & your bottom line
By Kristin Easterling
As of 2018, there were 7,400 call centers HC: What questions should providers customers through email and through chat.
or contact centers employing 50 or more ask themselves before moving to a We provide specialized support services
workers in the United States. These contact center? based on the needs of that customer,
centers handle everything from your lost including specialized types of account
Amazon package to major technology DOTSON: They should first determine what management. We also provide dedicated
issues. But for health care providers seeking their specific needs are and determine if support if they’re needing to work with
to improve care to their patients, contact that specific provider can meet those needs, one specific person, instead of working
centers can help take some of the burden off including the customer support that’s going with different individuals from different
customer care. to be provided from that call center. departments.
Monica Dotson, senior director of They should also ask themselves about I would say the other misconception is
customer care at McKesson, recently sat what type of programs that contact center that some people feel like the call center
down with HomeCare to share more about has to ensure that they’re going to get industry has no future and that it’s going
how contact centers work and how customer the most reliable and the best customer to go away. We believe our call centers or
service has evolved in the age of COVID-19. experience that they can. We follow standard customer support or technical support are
operating procedures. And we consistently extremely important to our customers. And
HC: What do providers need to maintain quality assurance procedures, I feel I can help them achieve their goals
know about choosing a contact where we have a quality assurance program and service their patients. They are an easy
center partner? where we monitor employees. We do way for customers to reach the company for
customer surveys to get feedback directly their day-to-day support needs. From that
DOTSON: I would say the first thing that from them, just so that we can ensure that perspective, I feel like there’s definitely a
they should know is that contact center we understand how we’re doing and how we future and that they will always be needed.
partners are their first point of contact. Our can make improvements. And we found this
customers have support needs that include to be successful in achieving a higher level HC: What are the advantages of using
product support, post-sales support, account of customer satisfaction. a contact center?
management and customer onboarding. Finally, I would say that these customers
From a McKesson standpoint, our should also ask themselves if that partner’s DOTSON: I would say being able to reach
strategy is really to provide an effortless mission and core value aligns with theirs. someone quickly and to reach a specialized
customer experience for our customers’ representative who understand that
needs through representatives who are HC: Are there misconceptions about customer’s practice or health system and
specialized in their specific type of health contact centers? is able to answer their questions quickly.
care practice. These representatives have We understand that our customers are
received extensive training so that they can DOTSON: Yes. I would say one of those is very busy. They are trying to provide better
really be experts when they are assisting that contact centers only handle incoming health to their patients. We want to make
those customers—handling their concerns calls. And that may be one reason we’ve sure that we have the tools available to help,
quickly and identifying tailored solutions kind of moved away from calling it a contact whether it’s providing responses through
with the ability to be a liaison with internal center and more specifically titling it by the interactive voice response and updating that
experts. These contact center teams work type of support that we’re providing, such or providing different ways for the customer
hand in hand with our distribution centers as customer support or tech support. And to communicate with us. We’ve gotten
and our field sales teams to ensure that the that’s because that support goes beyond feedback that customers are open to chat.
needs of each of our customers are met. just handling incoming calls. We support Customers told us they would like to email
26 HOMECARE | FEBRUARY 2021with us more, so we provided more support DOTSON: If we are able to answer their hours. So, we have had to change by doing
so that they can email us and we can provide questions quickly and efficiently around virtual training. We onboard employees
quick responses. product support and get them what they virtually and train them virtually, and
need quickly, then a provider’s bottom line we’ve had to shift in how we normally train
HC: What are the challenges of using improves. So if they’re calling us for certain employees or even interview or recruit for
a contact center? products and they need an emergency order, them. [And, like other companies,] our
for example, being able to provide them employees are now working from home.
DOTSON: There’s not a real challenge other with those services helps them meet their It’s even changing in terms of how we
than customers not really understanding the patients’ needs quicker and helps them collaborate with our employees—we are
true capabilities of a contact center and the with their bottom line, which is ultimately accustomed to gathering in a conference
services available to them. So if a customer room or training room. Now we’re
servicing and providing better health to their
has a misconception that this is all that this collaborating through technology such as
patients. That is what we are in the business
contact center can do, then that can be a Microsoft Teams and Chatter and where we
of doing in our contact centers. That
challenge because they may miss out on can still have strong collaboration without
includes proactively tracking their packages
necessarily having to actually be face to
all of these other things that are services for them and letting them know if something
face. And in doing these things, I’ll say I’m
and support that a contact center provide may be delayed so that they can be aware
pleased that we haven’t seen a negative
them with. and prepare for whenever that patient comes
impact on the customer experience or on
That’s why I said the contact center label in. So we just want to reduce the customer’s
productivity or employee morale. We’ve just
has become hard to just wrap everything level of effort so that they can then provide
had to think about how we can do things
that we do in. We also onboard customers. If better health to their patients.
differently and still be able to provide the
we have a new customer coming in, or they
highest level of customer experience for our
have what we call a “change size,” which HC: How are call centers changing? customers. But things are also changing with
means they’re adding a new location, we
our customers in terms of how they service
support them with that. That may almost DOTSON: With COVID-19, McKesson had their patients and what the services that
seem like a mini-project manager, but those to make a quick shift in how we were they need from us and making sure that we
are additional services that we provide to our doing business. The good thing is that we, can modify what we’re doing based how
customers post-sale support. like most companies, had great business their needs are changing.
continuity plans in place to be prepared
HC: How can partnering with a and to be able to go from having all of our
contact center improve a provider’s employees within a contact center to all of Kristin Easterling is managing editor of
HomeCare magazine.
bottom line? our employees working from home within 48
HOMECAREMAG.COM 27HME
CARE MANAGEMENT
Walking in the Footsteps
of (Retail) Giants
Follow Amazon & others to learn the secrets of patient
engagement & how to better manage care
By Nupura Kolwalkar
As a homecare provider, you know that With the COVID-19 pandemic ushering details and appointment reminders, such as
higher levels of patient engagement mean in rapid adoption of digital innovation, via text. Providers can offer financial ease as
better patient outcomes and better business. health care providers have the opportunity well by keeping a payment method on file
When patients are engaged in managing to give customers an effortless experience. for resupply efficiency.
their own health, they gain a sense of This article will highlight how patient The best way to achieve this is to choose
ownership over their care and demonstrate engagement will create better business technology that automates these business
improved adherence to medication or device for you and will advise you how to processes, creating coordinated transitions
use, leading to higher patient loyalty, lower thoughtfully design experiences for the from one phase of a patient’s care journey,
patient attrition and—most importantly— patients you serve. like leaving a hospital, to the next, such
better health. as beginning at-home treatments. With a
But what is the best way to drive patient Building Transparency & Trust multi-channel communications strategy
engagement? Within the evolving insurance landscape, that includes a patient portal, mobile apps,
The answer is simple: Provide an high deductibles are pushing patients to digital reminders and automated phone call
exceptional patient experience—but not act like consumers in their care journeys. solutions such as interactive voice response,
just with aesthetic bells and whistles or That means they want a full view into their you can provide thoughtful and effective
trendy interfaces. Studies of consumer- financial responsibility: how much they owe, communication during these early stages,
facing companies show the key to customer for what and to whom. build trust with your patients and engage
experience—and to enhanced loyalty—is Care providers have an opportunity to them when they are most willing to be
simply solving the problems at hand and develop trust by offering transparency proactive in the process.
reducing customer effort in doing so. With into the patient’s estimated financial
that in mind, follow the lead of consumer- responsibility early in the relationship. Designing a Thoughtful
facing technology providers like Amazon, Complementing this transparency on the Patient Experience
Netflix or online banking platforms and financial side, providers can highlight ease As a care provider, there are a range of
focus on making your patients’ experience and convenience in the patient onboarding communications you need to have with your
as transparent, consistent and effortless process with effective digital touch points patients and a number of modalities you
as possible. with updates on order tracking, delivery can use for each of those touch points. Using
each of these thoughtfully will allow you
to build trust with the patient early on and
Establishing this emotional connection demonstrate your effectiveness.
Steps for crafting a thoughtful, engaging
with patients demonstrates your patient experience include:
investment in their care and health—
beyond your own business needs. 1 Make the most of your first
outreach to a new patient.
From the start, establish an open line of
communication and provide an element of
28 HOMECARE | FEBRUARY 2021choice in the relationship with the patient.
For instance, if the new intake involves
order processing, let your patient know you
received the order from their clinician, tell
them what to expect next and ask how they
would like to be notified for future updates.
2 Keep your patient in the loop.
As the order gets processed, if the
patient opted to be notified, ensure
the technology you are using provides
full transparency into how the order is
progressing and when that patient should
expect to receive their product. (Again,
consider Amazon as a model: The ability to
check on order status at any point in the
process increases consumer engagement
with the purchasing process and confidence
in the platform.)
3 Use the very first
order to demonstrate
5
financial transparency. Ask for feedback and keep the With that in mind, care providers should
Research shows that a customer is most patient in the fold. think carefully about how to create the best
engaged during their first order and, in the Lastly, when one leg of the care journey possible experience for their patients now
case of health care, most inclined to set is completed—whether a first order, and into the future. This will require not just
up features like card on file or auto-refill. appointment, nurse call or resupply order— strong technology, but also a thoughtful
Encourage your patient to sign up for these ask the patient how you did. This reminds and committed approach to centering each
features early to save hassles for everyone them you are there to support them and patient in their care journey and experience.
involved when it comes to collections. This make their care as smooth and supported Amazon has demonstrated the most
will contribute to a smoother and more as possible. consistent consumer loyalty statistics in
trusting relationship, create that financial As you follow these guidelines, consider history, with Amazon Prime memberships
transparency patients are looking for and timeliness, personalization and modality. at a 93% retention rate in the first year and
drive higher profitability down the line. Overall, you should drive patients toward above 98% after two years. In the new era
of virtual and connected business models,
4
a patient portal, which allows them to
Don’t underestimate have greater control over and insight into patient loyalty can be achieved if every
the importance of their care processes in the long term. But care provider can create the low-effort,
emotional touch points. keep convenience in mind, too; the first efficient and transparent processes that
Even after an order is delivered and set up, resupply order confirmation is a good time consumers—and now patients—have come
engage with your patient and show them to encourage the patient to enroll in a portal, to expect.
that the care experience is centered on not when sending an appointment reminder. With these thoughtful approaches, you
them. Use your touch points to confirm will see higher patient loyalty, better
delivery with a photo of the driver, check Looking at the Long Term therapy adherence, improved patient
in on how they are doing with their new As many of us have experienced firsthand, outcomes and better business overall.
product soon after it arrives, ask if they the pandemic has driven consumers towards
have questions about their care and send digital platforms and the same is true of
appointment and resupply reminders. patients. Even as we start to see normalcy Nupura Kolwalkar, chief product officer at Brightree,
has almost two decades of experience developing and
Establishing this emotional connection with resume in other parts of our lives, patients managing health care technologies in the pharmaceutical
patients demonstrates your investment in are going to demand the convenience of industry. With previous leadership roles at Purdue, Pfizer
and McKesson, Kolwalkar brings a wide range of strategic
their care and health—beyond your own digital relationships as they take a more backgrounds to her new role at Brightree.
business needs. proactive role in managing their own care.
HOMECAREMAG.COM 29HME
MEDICATION MANAGEMENT
Tracking Patient Meds Can Be
Easier With Technology
More options & more connectivity to help handle
complex conditions
By Omri Shor
Six in 10 Americans live with a chronic
condition, and 40% have two or more.
Patients with multiple chronic conditions
routinely use, on average, five medications
to manage their symptoms. From a numbers
perspective alone, managing a chronic
condition is a juggling act. Home medical
equipment (HME) providers can help by
offering the right digital tools for better
medication management.
Various Doctors, Various Meds
A patient who is managing a chronic
In many instances, staying on top
condition is also often working with multiple of the medications required to treat
physicians and a range of medications
to treat conditions, including drug side chronic conditions can be as complex as
effects in some cases. Understanding all
of a patient’s medications helps create managing the condition itself.
a broader view into their health and how
Patient interactions in the physician’s help them regulate their drug therapy: the
they are being treated. But it can be quite
taxing for patients to need to recall their office are typically brief, and the pharmacy rise of digital companions. These devices
exact medication, dosage and frequency, as experience may be even more so; it’s use a smartphone application and digital
well as any previous medications that may usually transactional in nature beyond platform to connect users with their own
have been used in treating their chronic the well-intended “Do you have any drug treatment guide. Users can input their
condition. In many instances, staying on top questions?” What’s left is a patient trying to medications into their personalized app and
of the medications required to treat chronic navigate their life with the small amount of receive instructions, support and guidance
conditions can be as complex as managing information given—and often with a whole on when and how to take their medication.
the condition itself. host of questions that arise later. In This can include time of day, with or without
For patients managing a chronic disease, many cases, what results is a guessing food, what other medications it can or
taking and managing medication becomes game of pills and self-medication and cannot be taken with and anticipated
part of their daily routine for the foreseeable ineffective results. side effects.
future. Medication therapy becomes the Increasingly, patients are using apps,
new norm, as does managing side effects Digital Companions Present a smartphone lists and digital companions
and contraindications. But remembering all New Option to help manage their health. In this era of
the do’s and don’ts can be hard for even the As patients struggle to manage their chronic digital health advancements, companions
most attentive patient. conditions, a better solution has emerged to aren’t just pill reminders; rathery, they are
30 HOMECARE | FEBRUARY 2021tools to drive engagement with patients to become their own
advocates and improve medication adherence. These digital
companions also create a digital log of medication history.
When given access by a patient, providers can review medication
patterns, track treatment progression and use the data as a
reference against any issues a patient may indicate during
follow-up visits.
Timely Guidance, Prompt Interventions
The latest advancements in digital companions work to connect
users with individualized support that delivers guidance specific
to each user. This could mean tutorials on how to administer
medications, patient education materials on titration schedules,
or even chat rooms that connect other patients using the same
medication. Companies like Omada Health, Happify and Medisafe
Check 109 on index.
have the ability to connect users with friends, family and
clinicians to provide support for treatment continuation. This level
of personalization and incorporation of human support has proven
to increase engagement and support drug adherence.
The Future of Condition Management
Digital health has made many enhancements to help
patients manage chronic conditions, helping fill in the gaps
where traditional medical settings leave uncertainty and
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Omri Shor is the CEO of Medisafe, a digital companion platform that provides
personalized treatment support to more than 7 million users. He is an expert in digital
medicine applications and works closely with major pharmaceutical companies in
developing and guiding direct connection to patients via innovative platforms to
support improved health. Visit medisafe.com.
1-800-574-7880 www.KayserBettenUS.com
HOMECAREMAG.COM 31IN-HOME CARE
REMOTE PATIENT MONITORING
Keeping Eyes on Patients
at a Distance
How RPM can reduce unnecessary hospitalizations
By Tiffany Horn
Remote patient monitoring (RPM) programs data obtained from a remote patient Remote patient monitoring programs
are leading the charge to leverage mobile monitoring program gives clinicians the give clinicians the opportunity to
technology and portable digital devices to opportunity to encourage patients to change provide clinical oversight to high-risk or
successfully monitor patients outside of their behaviors—all while empowering compromised patients, especially those
the hospital. At first glance, remote patient patients to take ownership of their health patients who transition from hospital to
monitoring programs offer an inventive, care journey. home. By empowering and supporting
innovative solution to reduce hospital patients in disease self-management,
admissions and overall health care costs; Effective Use of Clinical Support & clinicians can help patients gain a better
however, the role clinicians play by assessing Data-Driven Coaching understanding of their disease, prognosis
and evaluating patient data to increase While many patients can implement positive and treatment plans. RPM programs
patient engagement is essential to yielding changes while under a doctor’s care or in the provide a pathway for clinicians to focus on
better health care outcomes. hospital, they fail to maintain their health improving patient engagement in between
care plans once they return to their home doctor’s visits, treatment procedures and
Discovering Opportunities to Improve environment. Remote patient monitoring hospitalizations. It has been proven that
Patient Engagement programs give patients the opportunity patients who are actively involved in their
According to a 2015 paper by Faith to stay engaged and offer them a regular own health care are more likely to adhere
Birnbaum et al., patient engagement is a pathway to obtain consistent, quality health to treatment regimens which decreases
term that describes enhancing a patient’s guidance. The use of digital devices provides hospitalizations—especially readmissions—
ability to fully participate in their own patients with an overview of their health, and improves their overall quality of life.
care by equipping them with extensive while the relationship with their clinician Clinicians can easily review patient
knowledge and support, resulting in better provides patients with the guidance to better data, then use the clinical data to provide
health outcomes. Patient engagement understand how the data impacts their specific clinical guidance. If patients are
plays an integral role in health care simply specific diagnoses. noncompliant, clinicians will be alerted and
because the more that patients know about RPM-driven encounters give clinicians have an opportunity to take the appropriate
their respective diagnoses and condition, the opportunity to provide education action by collaborating with the patient
the better equipped they are to make about the proper usage of digital devices to to change undesirable behaviors. The goal
the changes needed or recommended collect patient data. Patients need to not is to better understand why the patient
to improve their health or to slow the just understand what the data collected is not following the proper steps, as well
progression of disease. implies about their health; they also need to as to pinpoint any barriers that may be
Remote patient monitoring, along with understand how to properly use their digital influencing compliance.
the use of digital devices, is progressively devices, since the data will be used to make By building and maintaining a healthy
marketed as a method to facilitate patient decisions for and about their ongoing health relationship with the patient, the clinician
engagement. Digital devices can effectively care. By focusing on patient engagement, can proactively address concerns as well as
help a patient self-monitor, which improves clinicians can positively impact how patients provide education about the importance of
the patient’s understanding of their health view their situation while also providing the collecting the necessary data to improve
because of the dynamic exchanges between means to help patients actively improve outcomes. Ultimately, having an easy-
the clinician and the patient. The clinical their health. to-use pathway to remain connected to
32 HOMECARE | FEBRUARY 2021patients between their in-office visits diagnoses; however, clinicians can use this patients and achieve positive outcomes.
allows clinicians to educate and empower as an opportunity to meaningfully improve Although there are many ways to
patients to adhere to their agreed-upon the overall health and wellness of patients accomplish this goal, remote patient
treatment regimen, thus improving patient in a managed population. Reviewing monitoring programs have proven to be an
engagement and eventually yielding better vital signs and care plans and addressing effective way for clinicians to simply do what
patient outcomes. noncompliance alerts offer up entry points they do best—improve the lives of their
for skillful clinicians to discuss other critical patients.
Understanding RPM Programs aspects, such as: improving exchanges
Many RPM programs use Bluetooth- between clinicians and patients to improve
connected devices such as blood pressure communication; educating patients about
devices, blood glucose meters, scales and how to successfully navigate the health GET MORE
spirometers to collect patient data in the
home, which is then relayed to the care
care system; using clinical data to
collaborate with patients to lessen
INFO
provider and uploaded to a web-based symptomology and disease progression; and To learn more about remote patient
clinical dashboard. helping patients engage in their own health monitoring, visit homecaremag.com/
Althought the relationship between while showing them the importance of daily tags/remote-patient-monitoring.
health care and technology has evolved over self-management.
the last couple of decades, it is apparent A solid remote patient monitoring
there is still an opportunity for the health program should go beyond just obtaining a
Tiffany Horn, RN, BSN, MS-L, Ed.D. candidate, LSSYB,
care industry to improve health care delivery blood pressure or blood glucose reading to is Clear Arch Health’s clinical services manager. An
and outcomes with the use of digital health provide clinical data. Remote patient experienced health care consulting professional
devices. The use of digital devices adds monitoring should allow clinicians to sustain with extensive experience in the development and
implementation of innovative health care strategies
great value to care delivery by providing healthy relationships with patients with the and projects, she has worked in various areas in the
the necessary data for clinicians to use as a goal of improving patient engagement and health care industry leading projects focused on
implementing policies and procedures to improve care
part of their efforts to connect with patients outcomes while reducing health care costs. delivery. Her specialties include clinical consultation,
about their health. In these trying times, it is even more patient advocacy, nursing and nursing leadership and
change management skills. She holds a B.S. in nursing
Many high-risk patients participate in apparent that health care organizations from University of Phoenix and an M.S. in organizational
remote patient monitoring programs with must reframe their care model and their leadership from Grand Canyon University.
the hope of improving one or more of their approaches to care to better serve their
HOMECAREMAG.COM 33IN-HOME CARE
DIGITAL CONNECTIONS
Building a Social
demographic on the platform. Seniors
originally joined Facebook to interact with
their kids and grandkids. Now, they also
(Media) Circle
are using it to form digital bonds with
those their age who have similar interests.
There are thousands of Facebook groups for
retirement, aging alone, chronic illness,
4 ways digital communities help seniors
grief, being an empty nester, senior fitness
and more.
aging alone Highway61
Highway61 provides real-time conversations
By Carol Marak
throughout the day focused on those over
50. This platform was launched by another
senior to combat pandemic-induced
Older adults have lived with the adverse The Communication Problem depression because she missed her friends
effects of aging alone for decades. Some What can people at risk for aging alone at the local senior center. Discussions
have learned to accept and adjust to being do to better prepare for the concerns of include live games such as trivia and
alone, while others are more susceptible to isolation and loneliness? The coronavirus charades, travel, classic movies and music,
the negative consequences like poor sleep pandemic and the need to socially isolate as well as grief, aging alone and chronic
patterns, depression, cognitive decline, shed light on the worst condition that aging illness support groups. Highway61 provides a
impaired immunity and unhealthy habits. alone creates—having no one to talk to or social circle for seniors to interact with and
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted support one another.
discuss worries and problems with. How do
these hidden effects. Solo agers already There is an active aging alone discussion
people find mutual aid or groups to serve
know about the risks because they have where solo agers share their stories, provide
their social and other needs if they aren’t
battled them for decades, but it took a each other with support and guidance
able to communicate or help each other in a
virus to awaken society in general to the and discuss various solutions on how to
meaningful way?
consequences of sheltering alone at home. properly plan for a life by themselves. The
Is there a way to get the same type of
Aging alone does bear hardships if a weekly discussion group is an example of
camaraderie using digital means? Is there
person isn’t prepared. However, each of us a digital community of support that allows
a virtual support network that seniors can
can modify our lifestyle to better adjust for people from all over the United States to
create for themselves, so they have people to
what’s to come. And it is becoming more feel connected to each other over being in a
help with their needs as they age?
similar situation.
important to do so, since solo agers are the
fastest growing segment in America. Digital Communities
Nextdoor
In a 2017 AARP study, researchers There are a few digital platforms that have
Nextdoor is an easy way for seniors to
found the leading American household to developed or deepened during the pandemic
communicate with other people in their
be people living alone, making up 28% of to offer communities of support. Some
neighborhoods, and not just other seniors.
the housing market. The nuclear family— websites offer games, discussion groups and
It links people by location rather than age.
typicaly two partners with two children— classes. Here are some of the platforms used
Nextdoor allows you to ask questions,
came in second at 20%. This growth in the by seniors, which you may want to share
ask for resources and generally help one
singles segment is surprising because we’re with patients and clients.
another out.
often led to believe that households are
made up of families. The figure also means Facebook Groups
GetSetUp
the cohort of solo agers will only grow in the Over 50% of people on Facebook are 65 and
GetSetUp.io offers Zoom classes every day
years to come. over. People over 50 are the fastest-growing
to help seniors brush up on important skills
ranging from tech tips (“iPhone Basics:
It took a virus to awaken society All You Need to Know,” is one example)
to cooking and diet to virtual travel. The
in general to the consequences of platform also has discussion groups on a
sheltering alone at home. variety of topics.
34 HOMECARE | FEBRUARY 2021UNBEATABLE SERVICE
75 YEARS STRONG
PERFECT
Lifelong Learning Institute
HEIGHT
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The Lifelong Learning Institute in Chesterfield, located in the
Virginia county of the same name, provides online classes TM
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The Benefits of Digital Bonds
There are many benefits to building virtual relationships with
others in an online circle. Here are four basics:
1 Similar interests
No one you know may like to play video games or watch
classic movies. By using digital means, you are able to find others
who like to talk about the same topics as you for hours and
develop a friendship based around your similar interests.
Check 111 on index.
2 Similar feelings/circumstances
The internet allows us to find others who feel the same way
we do. If you live in a small town, you may not know anyone who
We’ve Been Lifting You Up for 75 Years.
has experienced loss of a sibling. By turning to the internet, you
are able to find support groups or forums with many people who Let's Chat! 844-433-2435 | parkshealth.com
understand what you are going through. Using digital means to
connect with people allows you to feel less alone in whatever you
are feeling.
3 Easier connections
The other benefit is that forming virtual bonds with other
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individuals may be easier for people who are homebound or are
more introverted. Many people only have online connections with MAC’s Vertical Home Lift
other people and rely on those relationships to get them through PL-50, PL-72 & PL-90
the day. With COVID-19, many people don’t have the ability to
sustain relationships in person, so forming bonds with people
online is the only way to sustain the desire to connect with
other humans.
4 Resources
If you have a question or want to know how other seniors have
handled a given situation, asking the question online will result in
answers from people all over, rather than simply asking the one or
two people you know locally.
Whether it’s COVID-19 or a mobility issue keeping a senior at
home, it’s imperative that seniors have a backup for support and
someone to check in on them. Growing older and sometimes alone
puts people at an increased risk of depression, isolation, cognitive
Check 107 on index.
decline and other health issues. Developing a digital community
of support can help with all of these things.
Carol Marak is an adviser on aging alone and founder of the Elder Orphan Facebook
Group. She has earned a certificate in the fundamentals of gerontology from the
University of California, Davis School of Gerontology. Visit carolmarak.com.
MACSHOMELIFT.COM (800) 795-6227
HOMECAREMAG.COM 35IN-HOME CARE
REVENUE CYCLE MANAGEMENT
The Right Stuff
Choosing the right RCM partner for your home health or
hospice agency
By Jeremy Crow
A year has passed since one of the most
significant changes to payment models
in decades took effect—and, 11 months
into the COVID-19 pandemic, home health
and hospice agencies are continuing to
wade through a number of challenges and
economic pressures.
The introduction of the Patient Driven
Groupings Model (PDGM) in January 2020
affected tens of thousands of agencies that
maintain the delicate balance of running
a business and providing the care their
patients need. On top of these changes,
the pandemic has shaken the health
care industry and altered the way care is
delivered to patients both in and out of
the hospital.
In today’s environment, homecare
and hospice agencies are facing a
reimbursement squeeze from the Centers
for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), a
sharp decline in census due to widespread
cancellations of elective surgeries, cancelled A healthy relationship with an RCM
visits in general and restrictions on where
existing visits can take place. partner is the same as any other
Managing cash flow—the lifeline for any
business—has become more important business partnership.
than ever. However, no one gets into home
health or hospice because they want to
spend their days crunching numbers, filling billing and coding needs to a third party Building a Relationship
out forms or keeping up with ever-changing will not only free up valuable time that A successful relationship with a revenue
reimbursement requirements; those who join can be directed back to patient care or cycle management (RCM) partner allows
the industry do so to provide high-quality, other strategic initiatives, but can also help an agency to forgo the day-to-day
high-touch care to patients. Outsourcing agencies become more profitable overall. administrative tasks behind billing and
36 HOMECARE | FEBRUARY 20213 Timing
coding, leading to a number of agency- time. Days to claims is a strong indicator
wide benefits. Outsourcing RCM also allows In addition to its knowledge on the of cash flow and how well the agency and
agencies to focus on recruiting top clinical latest regulatory changes and the industry partner are working together, as both the
talent, rather than filling administrative overall, a partner should be able to adapt RCM provider and agency are dependent on
roles. An RCM partner employs top-notch quickly to any changes. one another for positive outcomes. The aging
talent, trained on an ongoing basis and The turnaround time it takes to get percentage of write-offs and turnaround
coached specifically in how to help agencies coding done directly impacts an agency’s time are factors in how RCM partners
achieve maximum reimbursement and cash success. Timeliness to submit claims, measure themselves and also directly
flow within a changing regulatory landscape. address errors and post payments also impact the success of the partnership. A
A scalable partner is also able to follow impacts an organization’s health. From helpful RCM provider can be expected to
an agency’s journey as it contracts—and day-to-day operations to industry-defining provide these metrics proactively via a report
ideally expands—to adapt to changes in the policies, agencies should be able to expect card of sorts.
industry, such as COVID-19, by providing the their revenue cycle services to work
necessary talent to meet evolving workloads. congruently with the pace of their needs. Managing Risk
As a leader, one of the most challenging As with every business relationship,
4
responsibilities is to get the best return on Quality Assurance there is always perceived risk in pursuing
your organization’s assets. Partnering with Along with providing timely service a new partnership. However, revenue cycle
RCM services enables a potentially greater and industry expertise, a good RCM partner services are a good, low-risk way to offload
return with one of an organization’s most can also augment an agency’s quality and day-to-day responsibilities so agency-
valuable assets—people. education program. When thinking about centric talent can work on more specialized
The key to picking the right RCM partner Outcome and Assessment Information Set tasks, including freeing up time for
is to consider several aspects that help management to dedicate to strategic and
(OASIS) documentation, it’s critical to ensure
define success for a homecare or hospice long-term initiatives.
that every answer is as accurate as possible,
agency, including: as OASIS recording directly impacts both
Evolving for Success
payment and star ratings on medicare.gov’s
1 Performance Indicators Today’s agencies need to be agile in order
home health agency comparison tool.
A straightforward indicator of a partner’s to best meet evolving industry demands,
For example: What “M” questions do
from redefining care visits to staying up-
success is to look at industry standard your clinicians most often struggle with or
to-date on regulatory and policy chances.
performance areas, such as days to claim, need guidance on? Are they competent on
Outsourcing day-to-day tasks like billing
accounts receivable days by payer type, the “GG” and “J” items? How often does the
and coding to an RCM partner creates more
collection rates by payer and percentage of primary diagnosis need to be changed? Are
time and energy to focus on caring for
write-offs by revenue. you capturing all pertinent diagnoses to
patients, while providing more resources and
The quality of an RCM partner’s work will maximize PDGM clinical grouping as well as
opportunities to maximize reimbursement
directly affect a business’s cash flow and low and high co-morbidities? With PDGM, all
and cash flow.
would be properly reflected in their data. the rules have changed. These are key inputs
While current business models may
into your ongoing training and quality
2
work for many agencies right now, a major
Expertise program—and elements an RCM partner can
takeaway from 2020 is that adapting to
As a direct extension of an agency’s help address.
sudden and unexpected change is what
billing and coding department, it’s
truly defines the success and longevity of a
important that potential partners Measuring Your Relationship
business.
demonstrate expertise in regulatory A healthy relationship with an RCM
While a system may not be broken, there
affairs and customer success. A dedicated partner is the same as any other business
is always room to make it better.
regulatory team that maintains a pulse on partnership. It should have clearly defined
the industry and liaisons with their agency roles, processes and handoffs so agencies
partner to communicate key changes will know who is doing what at what time and
Jeremy Crow, PMP, is director of revenue cycle services
help guarantee more short- and long-term how that information will be communicated at HEALTHCAREfirst. He has more than 15 years of
success in a rapidly evolving regulatory back and forth. experience supporting clinical and financial operations
for a range of healthcare organizations, most recently
landscape. Another aspect to consider is Success can also be defined by consulting for home health and hospice businesses
how long the RCM service provider has been measuring the key performance indicators at Simione Healthcare Consultants. He has served as
a senior software executive, information technology
in business, as its history and relationships mentioned above, like days to claims, aging consultant and certified project manager.
could be an indicator of its expertise. percentage of write-offs and turnaround
HOMECAREMAG.COM 37IN-HOME CARE
ELDER ABUSE
Time to Step Up
Understanding & preventing elder abuse in the home
By Kristin Easterling
1 10
Elder abuse can happen anywhere—
in
including in a person’s home. Older adults
may be mistreated by family members, estimated
caregivers, strangers or friends. An Americans
estimated 1 in 10 Americans older than
older than
60 have experienced some form of abuse,
according to Julie Schoen, deputy director
60 have
of the National Center on Elder Abuse, which experienced
is housed at the Keck School of Medicine of some form
USC. And that may be a low number, as elder
of abuse
abuse is thought to be underreported.
A study in New York state found that for
every elder abuse case known to programs
and agencies, 23 cases were unknown. Astor’s care level, resulting in neglect. Home health agencies can help by
When it came to financial exploitation, for Astor’s grandson, Philip Marshall, filed training caregivers to watch for signs
every case that reached authorities, 44 went for guardianship and eventually testified of abuse, said Schoen. Social isolation
unreported. A national elder abuse incidence against his father in the case. contributes to abuse, and if a senior is being
study published in 2003 estimated that only Elder abuse is a hard topic to tackle. cut off from others by a family member or
1 in 14 cases of elder abuse ever comes to Seniors can face a variety of abuse, from friend, staff members should be on the alert.
the attention of authorities. neglect to physical abuse to sexual abuse.
One high-profile case emerged in 2007, This can affect their ability to age at A Funding Problem
when Brooke Astor, the wife of the late home, as the trauma from the abuse may Preventing elder abuse and enforcing
billionaire Vincent Astor (a member of the exacerbate cognitive decline or send the the laws around it requires funding. The
prominent Astor family), was financially victim to the hospital. If experiencing Elder Justice Act was passed as part of the
abused by her son, Anthony Marshall. He financial abuse, seniors may find themselves Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010, which
not only siphoned off millions through unable to keep up with bills and other authorized $720 million over four years to
his power of attorney but also reduced obligations, forcing a move to a facility. fund different programs, including the state
TYPES OF ELDER ABUSE
38 HOMECARE | FEBRUARY 2021Hi-Lo Adjustable
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years since the ACA was passed, according to Robert B. Blancato, made on site at our North Georgia
national coordinator for the Elder Justice Coalition (EJC), an factory. That means items are
Check 108 on index.
advocacy group dedicated to raising the profile of elder abuse custom built and shipped within
through the passage of legislation. five working days. That means
“One of the lessons that you learn in [Washington] is that there cus
your customers don’t have to wait
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The EJC is pushing for more funding to back the Elder Justice
Act. In addition, in 2020, Rep. Ann Wagner of Missouri introduced
HR 8114, the Emergency Support for Nursing Homes and Elder
Justice Reform Act of 2020. The act legislates nearly $225 million
in funding for elder abuse prevention and services for victims,
including $60 million for adult protective services between 2020
and 2023.
In a bill related to the Elder Justice Act, funding was provided
RESPONSENOW
for criminal background checks for people seeking employment Affiliate Program
in long-term care facilities. The pilot program demonstrated a
high success rate—but less than half of states implemented the
program after the law was passed.
“One of the big reasons the states didn’t take advantage of the HELP PATIENTS
program was a matching requirement,” said Meredith Whitmire,
federal policy and media coordinator for the EJC. “For any funding ANYTIME
the feds put up, the states had to match it, and it’s always hard
to find money within a state budget.” Whitmire added that some ANYWHERE
states also had laws prohibiting a background check and an
unwillingness to go through the lawmaking process to change it.
Paid referrals up to $150
The Need for Data
$ for every new patient.
The Elder Justice Act did create a national reporting system
for instances of elder abuse, the National Adult Maltreatment Patient receives free
Reporting System (NAMRS). The goal is to get wider reporting of month of service.
Check 112 on index.
elder abuse and a more accurate picture of the problem.
All support handled
Before NAMRS, states reported their own data in different
ways, often leading to confusion, said Whitmire. There were also
by ResponseNow.
outdated reporting systems nationwide.
Adult abuse prosecution lacks the resources and forensic
investigative power that agencies working to prevent child abuse
have, according to Blancato. Seniors often enter the hospital with
RESPONSENOW.COM/START-TODAY
HOMECAREMAG.COM 39REPORTING ELDER ABUSE:
TIPS TO KEEP SENIORS SAFE
• Before beginning your interview, get in the right
mind frame. Take a moment to clear your mind of
stereotypes—good and bad—about older adults.
• Like victims of other domestic violence, treat older
victims of abuse with respect. Conduct their interviews
with the gravity their situations deserve.
• Know that people with memory problems can still tell
you what happened—especially if an event made an
emotional impact.
• Believe their story unless you have specific evidence to
the contrary.
a bruise that is automatically assumed to doesn’t require much funding, said Whitmire. “Elder abuse occurs in the community,
have been caused by a fall. Better forensic The participating agencies don’t have to and we need to be sensitized and provide the
investigation could help stop and prevent carve out part of their budget in order to on-the-ground community-based services
abuse. A forensics center at the University participate in a meaningful way. that are necessary to prevent the elder
of California in Irvine acted as a model in Blancato noted that there are 64,000 abuse that occurs in the home or in the
investigating elder abuse, exploring how people working for the Social Security community,” he added.
to improve on forensic work in the space. Administration who can help prevent When a homecare provider invests in
The Elder Justice Act is designed to fund financial abuse, but they need guidance training to help caregivers identify and
six additional centers that would conduct and training on what to spot. Coordination report elder abuse, it helps build trust in its
forensic work specific to older adults. with other federal agencies could help services—and can save lives.
Without data, Whitmire and Blancato improve results. “Homecare workers are the eyes and ears
said, the funding isn’t coming for the when they go into the home,” said Schoen.
programs to prevent abuse. Finding a Solution “Whether they notice neglect or see that’s
While many of the issues around elder abuse there no food in the fridge; noticing bills on
Collaborative Efforts prevention center on future funding, home the table. Just bringing it to someone’s
In addition to NAMRS, the Elder Justice health providers can help today—both within attention and being observant can make all
Act created the Elder Justice Coordinating their agencies and in their communities. the difference.”
Council out of 15 federal agencies that “Constructing community supports and
have some role in preventing elder abuse. human services for caregivers and older
The secretary of the Department of Health adults can alleviate risk factors tied to elder
GET MORE
INFO
and Human Services acts as chair of abuse,” said Schoen. “Increased funding can
the council. The council is charged with support efforts to train practitioners in aging-
identifying and proposing solutions to the related care. Identifying ways to empower
To learn more about efforts to prevent
problems surrounding elder abuse, neglect older adults will reduce the harmful effects
elder abuse, visit ncea.acl.gov or
and financial exploitation. The council is of ageism. And leveraging expert knowledge
elderjusticecoalition.com.
a permanent group that meets twice a can provide the tools needed to identify,
year with the goal of better coordinating address and ultimately prevent abuse.”
the federal response to the elder abuse That’s especially critical because
Kristin Easterling is managing editor of
problem. The council has enjoyed wide 95% of seniors live in their own homes, HomeCare magazine.
bipartisan support—probably because it Blancato said.
40 HOMECARE | FEBRUARY 2021HOMECARE DIRECTORY
SCOOTERS & POWER CHAIRS
In this directory, HomeCare delivers a monthly breakdown of crucial sections of our annual Buyer’s Guide, providing the most
up-to-date information on the products and services your business needs. This month, we’re covering power mobility products. Here and on
homecaremag.com/buyers-guide, you can find the essentials to help your business thrive.
SCOOTERS & POWER CHAIRS
POWER CHAIRS Invacare Corporation SCOOTERS PaceSaver/Leisure-Lift
Elyria, OH Kansas City, KS
21st Century Scientific (800) 333-6900 Afikim Electric Vehicles (800) 255-0285
Coeur d’Alene, ID invacare.com Kibbutz Afikim, Israel pacesaver.com
(800) 448-3680 (800) 809-3010
wheelchairs.com Merits Health Products afiscooters.com Pride Mobility Products
Cape Coral, FL Corporation
Amysystems (800) 963-7487 Amigo Mobility International Exeter, PA
Champlain, NY meritsusa.com Bridgeport, MI (800) 800-8586
(888) 453-0311 (800) 692-6446 pridemobility.com
amysystems.com PaceSaver/Leisure-Lift myamigo.com
Kansas City, KS Shoprider
Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare (800) 255-0285 Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare Carson, CA
Port Washington, NY pacesaver.com Port Washington, NY (800) 743-0772
(877) 224-0946 (877) 224-0946 shoprider.com
drivemedical.com Permobil drivemedical.com
Lebanon, TN Solax Mobility
EZ Lite Cruiser (800) 736-0925 EWheels San Jose, CA
Chatsworth, CA permobil.com Phoenix, AZ (800) 983-1306
(310) 295-4422 (888) 305-0881 solaxmobility.com
ezlitecruiser.com Pride Mobility Products ewheelsdealers.com
Corporation Stars N Stripes Scooters
FreeRider USA Exeter, PA FreeRider USA Beverly Hills, CA
Rancho Cucamonga, CA (800) 800-8586 Rancho Cucamonga, CA (800) 767-9377
(909) 466-7996 pridemobility.com (909) 466-7996 snsscooters.com
freeriderusa.com freeriderusa.com
Shoprider
Golden Technologies Carson, CA Golden Technologies
Old Forge, PA (800) 743-0772 Old Forge, PA
(800) 624-6374 shoprider.com (800) 624-6374
goldentech.com goldentech.com
TrackMaster
Innovation In Motion Clearwater, FL Merits Health Products
Angola, IN (727) 333-7562 Cape Coral, FL
(800) 327-0681 trackmastermobility.com (800) 963-7487
mobility-usa.com meritsusa.com
Whill
San Carlos, CA
(844) 699-4455
whill.us
BUYER’S
GUIDE FIND YOUR
2021
SUPPLY
Products & Services Expand to Meet Evolving Needs
HOMECAREMAG.COM/BUYERS-GUIDE
HOMECAREMAG.COM 41MARKET-LEADING PRODUCTS
NEW ON THE MARKET
Hand-picked by the editors of HomeCare &
1
our team of industry experts, these products
are the newest frontrunners shaping the
homecare marketplace. Stay tuned in every
issue for more industry-leading solutions.
1 Oxygen Tank Holder
ARMADILLO MOBILITY ACCESSORIES
The Armadillo Oxygen Tank Holder is made of durable fabric
that holds both E- and D-cylinder oxygen tanks. The three-
pocket design provides extra compartments to hold personal
belongings or tank supplies. The adjustable straps allow users
2
to customize the position of the tank on a mobility device to
suit their comfort needs. The holder has a convenient carry
handle at the top of the bag to allow for easy carrying when not
attached to a wheelchair. Available in grey or white.
Visit worldsbestaccessories.com.
Check 200 on index.
2 Caregivers Calendar
CAREGIVERS’ COMFORT
Caregivers Calendars began in 2013 and provides exclusive
features and benefits to all caregivers. Calendars are
downloadable and printed and include a second monthly
calendar for patient appointments and medications, resources,
inspirational messages and monthly to-do items, making the
caregiver the priority. The calendar is 28 pages total.
Visit caregiverscomfort.com.
Check 201 on index. 3
3 Wheelchair & Rollator Carrier
STEADY ENTERPRISES
Wheelchair and rollator-walker carriers from Steady
Enterprises are a convenient way to take a rollator walker or
wheelchair wherever you go. They work well on cars, trucks,
vans, SUVs, ATVs, golf carts and even motorized scooters. The
wheelchair carrier will also accommodate side-to-side folding
walkers, upright walkers and transport chairs. Both carriers
accommodate regular and bariatric sizes. Carriers fit into a
standard 1.25-inch hitch receiver.
Visit steadycarriers.com.
Check 202 on index.
4 Medication Management App
UNITED MEDICAL EQUIPMENT BUSINESS
SOLUTIONS NETWORK, INC.
The medication management app from United Medical
Equipment Business Solutions Network is designed specifically
for caregivers and seniors. This tool is great for medication
management and to have information at your fingertips when
you’re on the go. Available on the AppleStore or GooglePlay.
Visit medicationmanagement.app. 4
Check 203 on index.
42 HOMECARE | FEBRUARY 2021LIFTS & TRANSFER DEVICES
1
1 Beasy Transfer Boards
BEASYTRANS SYSTEMS
BeasyTrans Systems has designed a premium quality transfer
system. With this “no-lift” transfer system, caregivers can glide
patients from one location to another without lifting, twisting
or pulling. The design of the gliding, rotating seat allows the
friction of the move to remain on the seat instead of on the
2
patient’s skin and bones. Some patients are even able to use
these transfer systems independently. Consistent safe transfers
will eliminate stress and encourage patients to get out and do
things they thought they could never do again; they allow them
to remain in their own home. Visit beasyboards.com.
Check 204 on index.
2 AP Series Portable Ceiling Lifts
HANDICARE
The AP Series of Portable Ceiling Lifts from Handicare are
designed for in-home caregivers who require a reliable, worry-
free portable lifting solution where safety matters. Built using
the same technology found in lifts in hospitals and long-term
care facilities, with a streamlined and portable form factor
designed for homecare. The AP-300 will appeal to customers
with an immediate need for an entry-level ceiling lift, while the
AP-450 matches all the same features of its younger brother but
3 adds complete lift data and diagnostics through an advanced
digital handset with an increased safe working load.
Visit handicareusa.com.
Check 205 on index.
3 Lavin Lift Straps
LAVIN LIFT STRAPS
Lavin Lift Straps are an accessory to patient lifters used
in institutions and homecare. These straps are perfect for
homecare and bariatric patients, wound care, catheter insertion
and procedures requiring the secure lifting of the limbs or lower
body. Hospice, extended care and others will be able to have
one caregiver safely treat patients. Caregivers will no longer be
required to logroll and lift incontinent patients or hold limbs for
treatment. Visit lavinlift.com.
Check 206 on index.
4 Protekt Take-A-Long Folding Electric
Patient Lift
PROACTIVE MEDICAL PRODUCTS
The Protekt Take-A-Long Folding Electric Patient Lift represents
a new standard in full-body lifts for individuals who travel or
4
have storage issues in their homes. The small footprint is ideal
for home use. It easily folds up to fit in most automobile trunks
for transport or travel and is lightweight and easy to move at 84
pounds. Visit proactivemedical.com.
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HOMECAREMAG.COM 43MARKET-LEADING PRODUCTS
CPAP
1
1 Wizard 310/320
APEX MEDICAL
Mask selection is a critical element when it comes
to CPAP therapy. With a user-centered design
philosophy in mind, the Apex Wizard 310 and 320
feature an ergonomic cushion design, a flexible
mask frame with soft forehead support and
breathable headgear, delivering effective therapy
performance along with superior comfort and
convenience. Visit apexmedicalcorp.com.
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2 Z2 Auto CPAP
BREAS
At just 6.48 inches by 3.30 inches by 2.02 inches
and 10.5 ounces, the Z2 Auto CPAP allows patients
to take their sleep apnea therapy anywhere they
want to go. The Z2 Auto does not require a special
mask or tube. Any mask can be used as long as 3
it does not have a proprietary connection. The
Z2 Auto CPAP is data-capable and records all
information on events and compliance. The free 2
Nitelog 2.0 mobile app for iOS or Android syncs
with the Z2 Auto via Bluetooth for reviewing sleep
data. Visit breas.us.
Check 209 on index.
3 SleepWeaver Prevent
CIRCADIANCE
The SleepWeaver Prevent, which uses an integrated
KN95 Mask to filter exhaled air, provides filtration
of airborne particles for patients with possible
respiratory infections, reducing risks to staff and
others around the patient. Circadiance is offering
this new combination CPAP and filter mask to
address risks to health care personnel and visitors
from PAP therapy during the COVID-19 public
health emergency. Visit circadiance.com.
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4 Evora
FISHER & PAYKEL HEALTHCARE
Introducing the F&P Evora, Fisher & Paykel
Healthcare’s new compact nasal mask for the
delivery of PAP therapy to treat obstructive
sleep apnea, featuring CapFit headgear, which
is designed to be put on like a cap. The floating
seal and stability wings are Fischer & Paykel’s
next generation of Dynamic Support Technology,
allowing freedom of movement while keeping the
mask in place comfortably throughout the night. 4
Visit fphcare.com.
Check 211 on index.
44 HOMECARE | FEBRUARY 20215
5 DreamWear Silicone Pillows
PHILIPS RESPIRONICS
Aiming to address mask refit and therapy
compliance challenges for both patients and
providers, DreamWear Silicone Pillows is the latest
addition to Philips’ modular DreamWear system,
which is designed to simplify setup by offering
multiple cushion options on one mask frame. This
helps drive business efficiencies for providers by
allowing for easy exchange of cushions during
titration with minimal disruptions, while offering
renewed freedom of choice to patients with a
new, lighter pillow option. Now, with three cushion
options sized the same way against one mask
frame, providers can serve more patients with less
inventory. Visit philips.com/sleep.
Check 212 on index.
6 AirSense 10
RESMED
ResMed’s AirSense 10 is one of the world’s most
commonly used CPAP and APAP machines. Each
6
machine is cloud-connectable and compatible
with ResMed’s patient engagement app, myAir,
which provides nightly myAir score reports,
personalized coaching and more. A user-friendly
device, it includes a built-in humidifier, as well as
a climate control auto setting to make breathing
more comfortable. Its AutoRamp feature provides
low airflow pressure to help patients fall asleep,
then steadily increases to the user’s unique
prescribed level. The AirSense 10 Series includes
four therapy modes: CPAP, Elite, AutoSet and
AutoSet for Her. Visit resmed.com.
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7 Adjustable Deluxe
7
CPAP Masks
SUNSET HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS
Patients can rely on Sunset’s Adjustable Deluxe
CPAP Masks for customizable comfort and great
value. The Adjustable Deluxe CPAP Masks are
the perfect option for those seeking hard-to-
find adjustable forehead support. Available in
Full Face and Nasal versions, the masks feature
an adjustable T-piece for enhanced fit, more
support and reduced pressure points. Both masks
include 360-degree dual swivel elbows and
ultra-lightweight, replaceable silicone cushions
for optimal seal and comfort. Sunset also offers a
Deluxe CPAP Mask for those seeking a clear line of
view during treatment. Visit sunsethcs.com.
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HOMECAREMAG.COM 45MARKET-LEADING PRODUCTS
BEDS
1
1 Hi-Low Adjustable Beds
ASSURED COMFORT
Assured Comfort Hi-Low Adjustable Beds promote wellness and provide
comfort while watching television, reading or recovering. The hi-low
feature is perfect for those requiring therapy, allowing the bed surface
to be raised for therapist convenience or allowing for easier transfers
in and out of bed. Choose from three models in twin, full, queen and
2
split-king sizes. Beds feature quiet remote-control operation. Select
a premium mattress that works just for you. Assured Comfort Hi-Low
foundations can typically retrofit an existing bed frame or choose from
an extensive line of headboards and footboards.
Visit assuredcomfortbed.com.
Check 215 on index.
2 Adjustable Bed
FLEXABED
Flexabed’s top-quality adjustable beds are handcrafted and completely
customizable to meet various sleep needs and preferences for the best
sleep success. All orders are also processed and shipped within five
working days. Flexabed offers comfort and convenience, with precise
support, effortless touch controls, and a form that adjusts to fit your
body so you can achieve the best rest. Visit flexabed.com.
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3
3 Rotor Assist Bed
GREAT LIFE HEALTHCARE
In keeping with Great Life Healthcare’s goal of returning dignity to
clients, it has introduced the newest version of the Power Rotor Assist
Bed with enhanced remote with lockout function. The rotor assist
combines the powered head and foot sections of other beds with a
revolutionary power rotation of the main surface to allow easy exit and
entrance for patients and their caregivers. Users can also enjoy rotation
to have conversations with loved ones, eat or have personal therapy.
The bed comes standard with large 6-inch casters with central lock, 4
side rails and honeycomb gel mattress. Visit greatlifehealthcare.com.
Check 217 on index.
4 Kalmia Perfect Height Bed System
PARKS HEALTH PRODUCTS
Meet the Kalmia Perfect Height Bed System. Perfect for short, tall or
in-between, this bed features an automated control—enter and exit
at the optimum comfort level. It’s got all the adjustable features: head
and foot elevation, zero gravity to reduce muscle pain and sleep apnea,
a massage feature and a climate-controlled mattress. It comes in
multiple sizes and looks like any premium bed. Visit parkshealth.com.
Check 218 on index.
5 Step2Bed
STEP2HEALTH
The step2bed is a bedside-assist device designed to reduce the risk 5
of falls and help seniors age in place. A safer way to get in and out of
bed with the safety of a perpendicular handrail and the utility of an
extra-wide step. It also features motion-activated LED lighting and
adjustable step height. Made of steel to support up to 400 pounds, it is
height adjustable from 2.5 inches to 7.5 inches. Visit step2health.com.
Check 219 on index.
46 HOMECARE | FEBRUARY 2021GET FREE INFORMATION
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ADVERTISERS
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Assured Comfort..........................o 104.............. 1 Brightree........................................o 103...........IFC Proactive Medical Products....... o 101.......24,25
American Healthcare Capital.....o 102............BC Flexabed........................................o 108............ 39 ResponseNow Medical
APEX Medical................................o 109............ 31 KayserBetten................................ o 110............ 31 Alert Systems............................... o 112............ 39
Birdsong.................................................................. 3 Mac’s Lift Gate..............................o 107............ 35 TIMS/Computers Unlimited........o 106.............. 7
Breas...............................................o 105............ 17 Parks Health Products................ o 111............ 35
PRODUCTS *This ad index is furnished as a courtesy, and no responsibility is assumed
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Apex Medical................................o 208............44 Fisher & Paykel Healthcare........ o 211............44 Proactive Medical Products.......o 207............ 43
Armadillo Mobility Accessories.o 200............ 42 Flexabed........................................ o 216............ 46 ResMed..........................................o 213............ 45
Assured Comfort..........................o 215............ 46 Great Life Healthcare.................. o 217............ 46 Steady Enterprises.......................o 202............ 42
BeasyTrans Systems....................o 204............ 43 Handicare......................................o 205............ 43 Step2Health...................................o 219............ 46
Breas...............................................o 209............44 Lavin Lift Straps...........................o 206............ 43 Sunset Healthcare Solutions...... o 214............ 45
Caregivers Comfort......................o 201............ 42 Parks Health Products................o 218............ 46 United Medical Equipment Business
Circadiance................................... o 210............44 Philips Respironics.......................o 212............ 45 Solutions Network, Inc................o 203............ 42
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HOMECAREMAG.COM 47BACK PAGE
PROVIDER PROFILE
Giving New Meaning
to ‘Just Checking In’
Company provides health care IT support &
caregiving for patients
By Kristin Easterling
There are doctors who specialize in said. “However, I had an opportunity to get “Even from just a year ago, COVID-19
everything from allergies to urology. And into the IT field based upon my medical has changed how seniors are interacting
then there are MDs who focus instead on education. With today’s aging society and with medical providers through information
data. Afua Aning is one of those. technological advancement, there is an technology,” she said. “People that
Aning is a physician informaticist and increased need for information technology previously would only go to their doctor
founder of My Just Checking In, a company and a medical background, but I still wanted are now seeing their doctors online. This
based in Darien, Illinois, that specializes in to help serve the growing homecare market.” increases the need for doctors to be able
information technology support for health Aning emigrated from Ghana with her to see clients online, give lab results and
care organizations—and also in providing family. She received a bachelor’s of science do consultations that previously would
part-time caregivers for welfare checks, from the University of Illinois at Urbana- not have been possible. Payers, such as
companion care and other services. The Champaign and her medical degree at Medicare, have also changed to allow more
company’s caregivers work in nine counties Central America Health Sciences University. compensation for internet visits. In addition,
in Illinois and six in Indiana. “Being from Africa and seeing my parents more families would rather have their
The organization’s unusual name was go through the transition of integrating loved ones stay at home instead of nursing
inspired by the way providers check in on into a new country has really given me the homes because of Covid-19. There has been
patients and IT providers check in on their determination and drive to succeed,” Aning increased need for caregivers nationwide.”
customers. It’s sometimes called at-the- told HomeCare. “I try to model myself after All of those online connections mean
elbow support, or ATE. driven people like Steve Jobs or Elon Musk. additional needs for IT support and has
When she started the company, Aning However, the money or success are not made compliance even more important,
drew on her own experience working as a apparent yet in my life, but definitely Aning explained.
part-time caregiver while studying for her the determination and willingness to “Compliance is important because
medical board examinations. sacrifice are.” in today’s increasingly technological
“I realized the importance of this role Aning worked in physician support and environment, health care providers, payers
and how there is a need for caregivers with as an IT consultant before founding the and users need to stay abreast of the latest
today’s huge baby boomer generation,” she company in 2018. Then, 2020 happened. technology and systems. New government
mandates require the IT professional to be
knowledgeable about compliance as well as
The organization’s unusual name was be capable, flexible and reliable.”
“Our IT team brings all these capabilities
inspired by the way providers check in to our clients; therefore, providing them
peace of mind,” she added.
on patients and IT providers check in
on their customers. Kristin Easterling is managing editor of HomeCare
magazine.
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